Overview
- In Haiti, UNICEF links the spike to extreme poverty and gang dominance of Port-au-Prince, with conflict displacing a record 1.4 million people.
- UN estimates indicate 30% to 50% of armed‑group members in Haiti are children, with some recruited as young as nine.
- In Colombia, verified recruitment cases rose from 116 in 2020 to 453 in 2024, with officials warning many cases go unreported.
- Recruiters use coercion, payments, deception and social media, including independent brokers who sell children to the highest‑paying group.
- Reintegration is strained as roughly 500 children have escaped or been arrested in recent years; UNICEF seeks up to $30 million and notes Haiti’s UN‑backed mission is set to shift toward a stronger gang‑suppression role.