In what is being hailed as an historic first, the UN Security Council on Monday authorized the deployment of an international security force to help Haiti’s national police quell surging gang violence and restore security across the strife-torn Caribbean nation.

The mission was requested by the Haitian Government and civil society representatives, following months of chaos and steadily worsening conditions affecting civilians. There have been more than 3,000 homicides reported this year, and over 1,500 instances of kidnapping for ransom.

Around 200,000 have been forced to flee their homes while sexual violence and abuse against women and girls at the hands of armed gangs ticks up. Tens of thousands of children are unable to go to school.

Adopting the resolution with a recorded vote of 13 in favour and 2 abstentions (Russia and China), ambassadors in New York also authorized the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to help secure critical infrastructure and transit hubs such as the airport, ports, schools, hospitals and key intersections.

The non-UN mission is also slated to help ensure unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for millions of Haitians in need.