Overview of Human Rights in Haiti

In 2004, a coup (believed to be backed by Western powers) resulted in the ousting of then-President Jean Bertrand Aristide. An interim government was established, and elections were later held in 2006 bringing Rene Preval to power.  While Aristide's government was accused of abuses against supporters of the opposition, after his ousting from power, the interim government was made up of individuals with atrocious human rights records of their own. 

To date, Haiti remains an unstable and often dangerous place. A United Nations multinational peacekeeping force, which has been in Haiti since April 2004, is trying to curtail the violence and crime in Haiti. It has seen limited results, however, human rights abuses are still committed daily.

Under the aegis of a series of different governments, security forces have often acted with impunity.  As a result, Haiti’s human rights record is one of the poorest in the international arena.

Members of the Haitian National Police (HNP) are known to use excessive force in making arrests or controlling protests and demonstrations. Torture and disappearances, which are often politically motivated, are other abuses that the HNP is guilty of committing. The actions of the HNP are a major contributor to the overall insecurity of the nation.

Gang violence is rampant and continues despite attempts to bring it under control. It is exacerbated by the rise in extra-judicial violence -- largely the result of the corrupt justice system that commanded little or no public confidence.  In fact, while some people have been detained without trial, others, such as gang leaders, have been released after paying bribes to judges.  Public outrage over the miscarriage of justice have led some to react by carrying out lynchings or mob attacks.

Prison conditions are also poor and many suffer from overcrowding and lack of sanitation.

While the media is considered free, many practice self-censorship due to fear of reprisal from the government.

Child abuse, trafficking of children, and forced child labor remain problems.  Poverty and corruption do not help the situation.

Many Haitians risk their lives trying to sail across rough seas to make it to the shores of the United States. Many of the boats are intercepted by the United States Coast Guard. Some of the boats are lost at sea. Those who make it to the United States, if caught, face mandatory detention and are sent back to Haiti.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

154th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.