Child Recruitment into Haiti’s Armed Gangs, ARK research.
For the past 18 months we have been engaged on behalf of Peace and Stabilization Operations (PSOPs) in Global Affairs Canada in building the capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to counter gang violence in Haiti. When designing such programmes, it is critical to develop an empirical evidence base. This report focuses on child recruitment into Haiti’s gangs and is based on both primary and secondary sources, including interviews with children currently in gangs.
A gang member is filmed on social media distributing cash to children.
Source: ARK Report (2025)
Countering Gang Violence
The report notes that Haitian gangs’ recruitment of children has evolved since the early 2000s, when it was largely opportunistic, unstructured, and driven by political instability and economic collapse. The period between 2018 and 2020 saw a significant escalation in gang violence, and in this context child recruitment became more structured and aggressive. Children became increasingly armed and integrated into gang operations. Over the last few years, gangs have expanded, come to control significantly more territory, and engaged in large-scale child recruitment operations. Estimates based on research conducted by ARK in 2024 on armed groups in Port-au-Prince indicate that children constitute between 30% and 50% percent of gang members in the capital.
Haiti’s gangs have evolved from local groups to more sophisticated networks capable of wielding significant influence. Their numbers and territorial control have expanded dramatically, particularly in and around the capital Port-au-Prince
Territorial Control
The gangs’ expansion of territorial control has significantly increased their potential pool of underaged recruits. Poverty and food insecurity are a key driver of child recruitment. Other important vulnerability factors include the breakdown of family structures, internal displacement, and the lack of educational opportunities. Several reports suggested that the recent uptick in child recruitment has been part of the gangs’ response to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), including plans to use children as human shields against the international forces.
“Economic hardships weaken parents, making them unable to meet their responsibilities toward their children. This leaves children vulnerable and often without a choice, making them easy targets for exploitation.”
Child Recruitment
Haiti’s gangs see specific advantages in the recruitment of children, such as being easy to manipulate, expendable, and carrying more limited legal consequences in case of arrest. Gangs use multiple recruitment strategies, ranging from coercion and manipulation to the exploitation of basic needs. Gangs exploit the expectations of many children that membership will provide them with financial stability, protection, respect, and empowerment. Many current gang leaders began as child recruits themselves, perpetuating a system where recruitment practices are refined and reinforced over time.
Read the full report below.