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News from the Field: Supporting women's political participation in Haiti

Haiti is going through a new period of hope and action. UNIFEM, the Gender Unit of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and two local NGOs work to assure that a firm commitment to the democratic processes and an increasing awareness of stable social and economic policies will respond to the needs of Haitian women.

Municipal elections scheduled to take place from 2007 to 2008 have a very important role in building Haiti's decentralization process. They provide a rare opportunity for women to enhance their political participation as leaders both at the provincial and community levels. The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) has provided a grant which supports a two-year initiative entitled "Supporting Women's Political Participation in Haiti". The project is implemented by UNIFEM, MINUSTAH Gender Unit and two local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Famn Yo La and the Center for Commitment, Responsibility and Capacity Building (CERAC).

The key objective of the project is to strengthen the linkage between women in politics and women's organizations on the ground in order to promote political rights of Haitian women. UNIFEM and Gender Unit of MINUSTAH, in cooperation with Famm Yo La and CERAC, have organized recently several training activities. MINUSTAH Gender Unit, for example, has developed a program of 'coaching' sessions for a new women's leadership with the view to improving women's negotiation and political skills.

During the first week of the program of 'coaching', a team of consultants visited women participants in their regions to observe how they interact within their constituencies and to review what types of progresses they have achieved in developing their own projects. Participants proudly showed to trainers their concrete results based on knowledge and experience gained during the training programme on "(how to enhance) your coaching skills". One of the most successful stories is Mrs. Ruffine Labbe, a trainee who is running a school called "Oganizasyon Fanm Lavale" for illiterate women in La Vallee de Jacmel, south of Haiti. In a couple of months, 32 illiterate women have learnt to sign with their names, thus gaining in confidence and self-esteem. This results from the personal investment and dedication of Mrs. Labbe who has taught those women to become independent and to take responsibility for themselves. Ms. Puechguirbal, Senior Gender Advisor of MINUSTAH, organizer this project, comments that "Such initiative would help reinforce the work of women community leaders by instilling a new confidence in their own capacities, thus displaying to other women strength and determination".

During the second week of training, participants learnt a tool called a SMART approach i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound in order to develop and optimize organizational strategies. Divided in small groups, women participants learned various elements of being a good leader, such as determination, vision, strength, team player and creativity, and also identified obstacles in becoming such a leader. In addition, they discussed and exchanged views on how to overcome difficult challenges. By introducing more active and participatory approach, this project is certainly an innovative action in Haiti. As a result, each participant can utilize her new skills to benefit her family and her community, becoming more confident about herself. At the same time, participants have established strong networking groups with the aim of helping each other and, beyond, women who would like to enter into politics. Establishing an effective networking is another key tool in empowering women and their organizations in Haiti.

 

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