International Youth Day: Kay Jèn Paints a Bleak Picture for Haiti
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE.— International Youth Day, celebrated every August 12th worldwide, is often synonymous with recognition and hope. But in Haiti, this date takes on a bitter taste, given the precariousness and uncertain future of young people.
In this regard, the Kay Jèn Organization, active in the defense of human rights, citizenship, and social justice, paints a grim picture and calls on the authorities to act urgently.
A Youth Sacrificed by Insecurity and Crisis
For Kay Jèn, Haitian youth live to the rhythm of deprivation and threats. Bullets replace school bells, diplomas yellow in drawers, and opportunities are few and far between. Between forced migration, unemployment, and the temptation of illicit networks, the future seems inaccessible for the majority.
The situation is just as alarming in the field of education. Classrooms close due to insecurity, teachers are underpaid, and some establishments are controlled by gangs. Universities, supposed to be sanctuaries of knowledge, sometimes turn into danger zones, depriving thousands of young people of real prospects.
Resilience That Is No Longer Enough
Despite this deleterious climate, Kay Jèn highlights the creativity and adaptability of Haitian youth. Young people innovate, organize, and advocate with the means at hand. But, the organization warns, «this resilience has limits and cannot replace solid public policies in terms of education, employment, and security».
Clear and Urgent Demands
On this August 12th, Kay Jèn addresses four priority demands to the authorities:
• Guarantee the safety of pupils and students in and around school and university establishments;
• Reopen, protect, and massively fund educational infrastructure;
• Create real economic opportunities, not temporary illusions;
• Integrate youth into all decisions that shape their present and future. For the organization, it is no longer about speeches but concrete actions. «Youth no longer wants to survive, it wants to live», insists Kay Jèn, reminding that a country that buries its young also buries its future. Therefore, youth must be preserved to save Haiti, concludes the organization. Jean Mapou
• Guarantee the safety of pupils and students in and around school and university establishments;
• Reopen, protect, and massively fund educational infrastructure;
• Create real economic opportunities, not temporary illusions;
• Integrate youth into all decisions that shape their present and future. For the organization, it is no longer about speeches but concrete actions. «Youth no longer wants to survive, it wants to live», insists Kay Jèn, reminding that a country that buries its young also buries its future. Therefore, youth must be preserved to save Haiti, concludes the organization. Jean Mapou
