Nearly 1.5 million people in Haiti have been internally displaced following escalating gang violence and widespread instability, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Wednesday. This marks an unprecedented level of internal displacement due to armed violence in Haiti, further intensifying the suffering of millions as insecurity continues to plague the Caribbean nation.
The latest IOM data reveals that over 1.47 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence and instability. Haiti is simultaneously grappling with surging gang activity, the collapse of vital public services, and frequent natural disasters, such as droughts and floods. The ongoing violence has brought the country to the brink of collapse. In 2026, over half of the population — 6.4 million people — require humanitarian assistance.
Internal displacement is heavily concentrated in specific areas. Almost half of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) live in just 10 of the country's 140 municipalities, primarily in departments adjacent to the capital, Port-au-Prince.
While some areas of Port-au-Prince continue to be targeted by armed attacks, the violence has significantly expanded beyond the metropolitan area, with a sharp spike in the departments of Centre, Grand Nord and Artibonite due to recurrent clashes. According to IOM data, almost 80 percent of displaced people live in rural areas, while over 20 percent have sought refuge in Port-au-Prince.
In the most affected zones of the capital, the number of IDPs exceeded 300,000 for the first time, with more than 213,000 people hosted in 112 designated sites. However, across Haiti, the majority of displaced persons (84 percent) are housed with host families or in rented accommodation rather than in formal sites.
Although several parts of the capital continue to be affected by armed attacks, particularly in the Cité Soleil municipality, significant numbers of people have returned. Across Haiti, nearly 166,000 IDPs have returned to their areas of origin since the latest assessment was conducted. The IOM notes that without these returns, the total number of IDPs would have increased by almost 100,000.
The IDPs' immediate needs are centred on basic survival: food (cited by 73% of respondents), livelihoods (65%), shelter (38%), water and sanitation (38%), and healthcare (37%). The crisis is further compounded by the fact that host communities are often overstretched, significantly increasing the need for clean water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, and other crucial support.
Children account for over half of those displaced within the country. Family separation continues to be reported, with parents sending children to stay with relatives in safer areas to protect them from ongoing violence. Many families live in extremely precarious conditions, often lacking access to healthcare, clean water, toilets, food, schools and adequate shelter.
On Tuesday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the humanitarian situation in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Area (PPMA) continues to deteriorate, particularly in the Cité Soleil neighborhood, following an escalation of armed violence since May 10.
According to the latest figures from the IOM, some 17,500 people have been displaced from Cité Soleil over the past two weeks. Over 80 percent of those forced to flee are currently seeking shelter in 33 sites, while others are being hosted by families who are already vulnerable.
Humanitarian assessments at the displacement sites indicate a rapidly growing need for food, clean water, healthcare and hygiene supplies. The rising number of displaced people is putting further strain on the already very limited access to healthcare. Only 11 percent of inpatient health facilities remain fully operational in the PPMA.
Poor lighting at the sites is also raising concerns over people’s safety. Children separated from their families, pregnant women, and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable.
Port-au-Prince is not the only area where fresh displacement continues to be reported. In recent weeks, an intensification of armed violence in Haiti's Artibonite department has triggered further displacement and growing humanitarian needs.
Security concerns across the country remain paramount. While gangs continue to operate in the surrounding areas of Port-au-Prince, violence has driven significant human rights abuses, including targeted killings, kidnappings and extortion.
Data from the first three months of this year shows that gang violence continues to have a devastating impact on people’s lives. According to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), at least 1,642 people were killed and 745 others injured in relation to gang violence during this period.
Overall, gang members were responsible for 27 percent of the killings and injuries that occurred between January and March. They were also responsible for sexual violence, including gang rapes and cases of sexual exploitation.
According to the UN, more than 69 percent of those killed or injured during the first three months of the year were the result of operations carried out by security forces against armed groups, sometimes with the support of a private military company using drones.
Despite security advances in certain areas of Port-au-Prince, insecurity remains an everyday and unbearable feature of life for many Haitians. In areas under their control, gangs continue to commit numerous human rights abuses, including targeted killings, kidnappings, extortion and property destruction.
Currently, at least 26 gangs are operating in Port-au-Prince and its surrounding communities. In recent months, these armed groups have expanded their control to 90 percent of the capital and beyond. Amid the ongoing violence and mass displacement in Haiti, gang recruitment of children increased by 200 per cent in 2025.
Approximately half of all gang members are believed to be under the age of 18. They often join to support their families or after receiving threats against themselves or their loved ones. Others join after being separated from their families, viewing the gangs as a means of survival and protection.
Alongside the displacement crisis, food insecurity is escalating. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), more than 5.8 million Haitians — approximately 52 percent of the population — are facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse between March and June. Of these, over 1.8 million are experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4).
Where conditions allow, the United Nations is coordinating the humanitarian response across the country in close collaboration with Haitian authorities and partner aid agencies. However, ongoing insecurity and access constraints, combined with the scale of the needs and inadequate funding, continue to hinder the scope and speed of humanitarian assistance in affected areas.
Funding has sharply declined; the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan requires $880 million to support 4.2 million people in urgent need, yet only 23 percent of that amount has been secured so far.
Further information
Full text: Haiti — Report on the internal displacement situation — Round 13 (May 2026), report, released on May 27, 2026
https://dtm.iom.int/reports/haiti-report-internal-displacement-situation-round-13-may-2026