Sexual violence in Haiti: four accusations against Kenyan mission, Chad takes over
Four cases of sexual exploitation and abuse involving members of the Kenyan mission in Haiti have been found substantiated by the UN. HRW calls on the new Chadian force to strengthen safeguards.
Sexual abuse accusations against multinational mission in Haiti: UN acknowledges four substantiated cases
Four accusations of "sexual exploitation and abuse" involving members of the multinational mission led by Kenya in Haiti have been found substantiated following investigations, the UN acknowledges. This is reported by dw.com, citing a UN report detailing incidents that occurred in 2025.
Among the documented cases is the rape of a 12-year-old girl, the rape of two 16-year-old adolescents, as well as sexual violence, the exact nature of which has not been specified, against an 18-year-old girl. The UN indicates that these accusations "were found substantiated following investigations" and were referred to the competent national authorities.
Limits of UN jurisdiction
The UN is not authorised to prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. Responsibility for prosecution falls to the country to which the soldiers or police officers in question belong — a procedure which, according to the institution, does not consistently result in action.
The members of the multinational mission in question are Kenyan police officers deployed since 2024 under a Security Council mandate aimed at supporting the Haitian police in the face of armed gang violence — murders, rapes, looting and kidnappings. The mission numbered up to one thousand personnel and is currently being withdrawn.
A new force in replacement
The Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS) is being replaced by the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), for which Chad has announced the deployment of 1,500 police officers. It is in this context of transition that the accusations against the Kenyan mission have been made public.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), which is following the case, has called on the new force to "implement more robust safeguards to prevent further violations". The organisation emphasises that international forces deployed to restore security should not exacerbate the abuses of which women and girls in Haiti are already regularly victims.
HRW's recommendations
HRW formulates several recommendations intended for the GSF and its contributing states. The organisation notably recommends standardised and continuous training on sexual and gender-based violence, domestic violence, and child protection.
The NGO also demands a zero-tolerance policy: any personnel involved in abuses should be immediately removed from their duties and referred to the competent criminal authorities. HRW also insists on the necessity that any allegation be examined by a mechanism independent of the chain of command.
A Haitian precedent and a documented practice elsewhere
This is not the first time that members of an international mission in Haiti have been targeted by such accusations. Between 2004 and 2017, blue helmets from the United Nations Mission for the Stabilisation of Haiti (Minustah) had already been the subject of similar reports.
The phenomenon crosses borders. Blue helmets operating in the Central African Republic, Cameroon, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo have also been accused in the past of sexual violence in their countries of deployment.
In response to these recurring problems, the UN has implemented a plan called "Action for Peace" as well as a covenant for the elimination of sexual abuse. Signatory states commit to combating impunity and supporting victims, notably through contributions to the fund established by the United Nations for this purpose.
Source: Google News HT — Crime