Haiti is facing an unprecedented internal displacement crisis, with more citizens forced to flee their homes than ever before, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The surge in violence from armed gangs, particularly in and around the capital, has triggered a humanitarian emergency, displacing hundreds of thousands and straining already fragile infrastructure across the country.
The IOM’s latest figures paint a stark picture of a nation grappling with an explosive internal migration crisis. As of June 2025, the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has skyrocketed to historic levels, driven by unrelenting gang warfare, kidnappings, rape, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence.
“Never before has Haiti recorded this many internally displaced persons within its borders,” the IOM warned in the report. “As violence spreads, so too does the suffering.”
While the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has long been a hotspot for gang-related conflict, the IOM highlighted a troubling trend: armed violence is no longer confined to the capital. It is now spilling over into rural areas and provincial towns, sparking mass displacement in previously unaffected regions.
In particular, the Centre and North departments have seen a dramatic increase in displacement. According to the IOM, 77% of all displaced people are now being hosted outside of Port-au-Prince. In the Centre department alone—once considered relatively stable—the number of displacement sites has soared. “Since December, the number of spontaneous displacement sites has jumped from 142 to 246,” the report revealed. “The sharpest increase is in areas that previously had none, like the Centre department, which now hosts 85 sites.”
These sites, often informal and lacking adequate facilities, have become makeshift shelters for families fleeing the brutality of armed groups. Many are now living without access to basic services such as clean water, education, or healthcare.
“The humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly,” the IOM cautioned. “The strain on local resources in rural regions is immense. Communities that were already struggling are now overwhelmed.”
Children, women, and the elderly are among the most vulnerable. With schools closed or inaccessible in many displacement zones, a generation of Haitian children risks being left behind. Healthcare services, where they exist, are stretched to the brink, and the lack of sanitation infrastructure raises serious public health concerns.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, the psychological toll on the displaced population is profound. Victims of kidnapping and sexual violence face long-term trauma, with few support systems in place to help them heal.
A woman who fled Port-au-Prince with her three children shared her experience anonymously for safety reasons. “I saw people being taken from their homes. We could not stay. The gang took everything. We walked for two days to find a place to sleep. But here, there is no food, no school for my children. We are not safe.”
International actors have attempted to intervene, but progress has been slow and limited in scope. A Kenyan-led multinational police deployment is currently on the ground, attempting to dismantle the sprawling network of gangs controlling key urban territories. However, their efforts have yet to significantly reduce the level of violence or restore law and order.
Many Haitians have expressed skepticism about the international community’s ability to reverse the crisis. “The gangs have more power than the police in many areas,” said a local community organizer based in Gonaïves. “People don’t trust that help is coming. They rely only on each other.”
The roots of Haiti’s security crisis run deep. Years of political instability, economic collapse, and chronic underfunding of public institutions have created a power vacuum that gangs have quickly filled. With the absence of a functioning central government and national police force operating at limited capacity, armed groups have seized control of neighborhoods, roads, ports, and key infrastructure.
In some cases, gangs have formed alliances, becoming de facto local authorities who collect taxes, dispense justice, and control movement in and out of entire districts. Their grip on society is so firm that residents often must pay bribes just to leave their neighborhoods or access emergency services.
Efforts by the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and other regional actors to initiate peace talks and disarmament programs have largely stalled. Meanwhile, the Haitian diaspora continues to raise awareness abroad, organizing rallies and humanitarian aid drives, but even their support has limitations in the face of such a massive crisis.
With no immediate political solution in sight, the IOM and other aid organizations are calling for increased international assistance to address the growing needs of displaced Haitians. Emergency funding for shelter, food, sanitation, education, and healthcare is urgently needed to prevent a further collapse of the country’s humanitarian framework.
“The international community must act now—not just to address the consequences of displacement, but to help address its root causes,” the IOM emphasized. “Without security and governance reform, the cycle of violence and displacement will continue.”
As of mid-2025, Haiti’s internal displacement crisis is no longer just a symptom of violence—it is a full-blown emergency. The country stands at a dangerous crossroads, where the absence of strong leadership, persistent insecurity, and an overwhelmed social system threaten to plunge the nation further into chaos.
For the thousands forced to flee their homes, hope lies in action—not promises.
