A life under the gangs

Haiti is facing a deep and increasingly escalating humanitarian crisis, driven by violence between organized criminal groups and the state, political instability, and recurring natural disasters. Armed groups now control large parts of the capital Port-au-Prince and key transport routes, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes and severely disrupting access to food, healthcare, water, sanitation, and education. The healthcare system is on the brink of collapse: only a fraction of medical facilities remain operational, and displaced people are living in makeshift shelters with minimal services. Public services such as electricity, clean water, and security are largely absent across much of the city. Fighting between rival gangs, and with state security forces, leave civilians caught in the crossfire. As these crises converge, women and children are particularly vulnerable. This essay tells the story of life under the gangs in Port-au-Prince, told from their perspective.