Rights group urges UN to authorize a mission to address violence in Haiti News
Jos1950, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rights group urges UN to authorize a mission to address violence in Haiti

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the UN Security Council on Friday to authorize an international mission to address the escalating violence in Haiti, stating the mission be adequately funded, staffed, and anchored in strong human rights safeguards. The demand comes amid a security and humanitarian breakdown, as criminal gangs solidify control over large swathes of the capital and beyond.

In a brief, HRW outlines how the current Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission lacks the force, strength, resources and mandates to effectively protect civilians or reinstate a functioning rule of law. HRW proposes that the Security Council transform the MSS into a UN peacekeeping-style mission that combines security, policing, human rights monitoring, institutional reform in Haiti, and accountability mechanisms.

The organization warns that without the preventive measures, past mistakes of international interventions—including abuse, lack of oversight, and weak accountability—will likely recur.

In a 2024 statement delivered to the Security Council, HRW noted that the Council had already authorized and publicly urged for improved deployment. However, implementation lagged, leaving civilians vulnerable to kidnappings, sexual violence, homicides, and other abuses. HRW stresses that an effective mission must include vetting of personnel, mechanisms for independent complaints, public reporting requirements, and active civil society participation in monitoring.

The call comes as the UN Security Council continues to express concern over Haiti’s worsening conditions. In this December 2024 press statement, the Security Council condemned gang violence, kidnappings and attacks, and emphasized the need for building Haitian police capacity and bolstering humanitarian access. A 2025 UN report on Haiti’s political transition underscores the fragility of governance amid surging insecurity.

HRW’s appeal is gaining traction in diplomatic corridors, particularly as momentum grows for more concrete international engagement in Haiti. Whether the Security Council will respond to the proposal and develop a mandate that improves upon previous missions remains uncertain.

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