UN Expert Pledges Support for Displaced Haitian Students Amid Escalating Gang Violence

During a visit to the Office of Citizen Protection (OCP), William O’Neill, the United Nations (UN) independent expert, expressed his support for the displaced students of the State University of Haiti (UEH), particularly those from the Faculty of Law and Economics.

These students, forced to abandon their campus due to the growing threat of armed gangs, have taken temporary shelter at the OCP.

O’Neill, after meeting with OCP officials and the displaced students, shared his deep concern over the severe humanitarian crisis they are facing. “I am here to assure you that your voices will not go unheard. The gang violence that has driven you from your institution is unacceptable, and I am committed to bringing this issue to the forefront of international discussions,” said the UN expert.

This visit comes against the backdrop of an escalating security crisis in Haiti, where numerous schools and universities have been forced to close due to rampant insecurity. For UEH students, this situation has not only interrupted their education but has also increased their vulnerability, leaving them in precarious conditions, far from their families, with an uncertain future.