UNITED Nations (AFP) — The number of children in Haiti recruited by armed groups has jumped by 70 per cent in the past year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned Sunday, with children making up almost half of gang membership.

Haiti has suffered from decades of political instability, but in recent months, the Caribbean country has seen a surge in violence with gangs now controlling 80 per cent of the capital Port-au-Prince.

“The unprecedented spike, registered between the second quarters of 2023 and 2024, points to a worsening protection crisis for children in the violence-plagued Caribbean island,” UNICEF said in a statement.

“At present, up to half of all members in armed groups are children.”

The spike in recruitment of children has been fuelled by escalating violence, widespread poverty, lack of education, and a near collapse of critical infrastructure, the statement said.

“Children in Haiti are trapped in a vicious cycle — recruited into the very armed groups that are fuelling their desperation, and the numbers are growing,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in the statement.

“This unacceptable trend must be reversed by ensuring children’s safety and welfare are prioritised by all parties.”