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INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN HAITI

• Integrated Decision-Making
• Major Groups
• Science
• Information
• International Law

  INTEGRATED DECISION-MAKING

  The Ministry of the Environment is the main structure for making decisions on this topic. The new local communities sanctioned by recent legislation will play a key role.
  
  

  The integration of environment concerns in Haiti's development planning is a key element in the National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) being prepared in the Ministry of the Environment. Since the appropriate theme is still in its primary stage, only the general outlines are adapted to the specific Haitian socio-cultural situation:

  a. Establish national strategies whereby social, economic and environmental consideration are given due importance in Haiti;

  b. Improve the Global Imaging Systems (GIS) in Haiti;

  c. Develop socio-economic indicators for measuring social, economic and environmental changes;

  d. Strengthen broad educational and professional curricula for a national environment-related-education (ERE) curriculum and extend these basic principles to the public-at-large;

  e. Establish a legal and institutional framework which incorporates international conventions into the national juridical spectrum.
  
  

  No special finance is foreseen in the current budget. However, the municipalities and the collectives will make do. In the meantime, most of the financial facilities of the MOE come from international funding. The GOH cooperates with the Dominican Republic and with all the Caribbean countries. Regional cooperation includes Venezuela and Peru. The cooperation includes exchange of information, technical assistance and provision of equipment. Aside from this, Haiti receives cooperation from OLADE and from the European Economic Commission.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.

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  MAJOR GROUPS

  WOMEN
  
  

  The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was ratified on October 8, 1982. An additional convention, that of Belem Dopara in Brazil, dealing with violence against women has been ratified on April 3, 1996. A Ministry of Women's Affairs and Women's Rights was established on 10 November, 1995. A 5-year plan called Offensive 2001 has been drawn up. The Ministry has faced financial constraints due to a lean budget allocation and problems with the Parliament calling for its elimination. Should it survive, the Ministry would still face strong societal misunderstanding, which is deeply rooted in Haitian culture and requires intersectoral dialogue for its elimination.
  
  

  The percentage of women in government rose from 20% in 1992 to 33% in 1996; at the local government level it went from 25% to 37% in the same period, while in parliament the percentage stayed at 3%. Curricula and educational material promoting dissemination of gender-relevant knowledge are being revised. Policies, guidelines, strategies and plans for achievement of equality in all aspects of society are being drawn up. Mechanisms are being developed to assess implementation and impact of development and environment policies and programmes on women.

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.

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  CHILDREN AND YOUTH
  
  

  Youth fora promoting dialogue between the youth and government include:

  • National Forum with private and public institutions (December 1996)
  • Departmental Forum for Synthesizing basic youth priorities.
  • Communal Forum to identify the three most important national and local problems.
  • Youth workshop for World Youth Day

  Their role in the national process is ad hoc. The goal of ensuring that by year 2000 more than 50% of youth -- gender balanced -- have access to appropriate secondary education or vocational training will be reached by the year 2004.

  Children and Youth have become so important in the Haitian sustainable development process that a full Secretary of State has been devoted to them. Called the Youth and Sports Secretary of State, it has catalyzed many programs dedicated to this sector of society. Besides receiving its full share of the education sector within the Ministry of Education, Haitian youth is the object of the important forums mentioned above, in sport, tourism, in education in health protection and in child abuse protection.

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

  There is no information available on this topic for Haiti.
  
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  NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

  Mechanisms allowing NGOs to play their partnership role responsibly and effectively are planned. At present, NGO inputs are ad hoc. The goal of establishing a mutually productive dialogue at the national level between NGOs and governments is set for 1998.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  LOCAL AUTHORITIES
  
  

  The Ministry of the Environment maintains special relations with:

  • Ecological groups with more than 10 years in existence like FAN (Friends of Nature Federation), and FREN (Federation for the Restoration of Nature);
  • New ecological associations which are growing out of the popular movement of the 1990s. At a 1996 ecological forum more than 50 ecological associations were present.
    
    This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
    
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  WORKERS AND UNIONS
  
  

  The relevant ILO Conventions will be ratified by the year 2000, and workers already take some part in National Agenda 21 discussions and implementation. With the preparation of the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) some workers took part in the MARP process.
  
  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
  
  

  Two big enterprises and thirty-eight small- and medium-sized enterprises have adopted sustainable development policies. Forty construction enterprises have been participating in a mobile seminar on the Impact of Construction on the Environment. These enterprises, small and medium by Haitian standards, have been exposed to sustainable development policies, and they have seemed willing to adopt such principles on an as-needed basis and in relation to the suggested norms from the Ministry of Environment.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
  
  

  There is some effort in the direction of improving exchange of knowledge and concerns between the science and technology community and the general public. The Ministry of the Environment has been studying guidelines for Environmental Impact Evaluations (EIE). With regard to new products being imported into Haiti, the MOE has considered the technological research done, published and adopted by developed countries.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  FARMERS
  
  

  Mountain agriculture already receives adequate publicity and governmental support. The Government of Haiti has developed an appropriate agrarian reform in order to encourage land maintenance and to fight erosion. This reform will concern lands belonging to the State that have been the object of constant disputes throughout the years. The Territorial Municipalities Act will more than likely promote decentralization and the importance of local farmers, with their practices, their land problems and their mountainous agriculture.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  SCIENCE

  The issue of human resources development is being prepared by a consultant to the National Environment Action Plan process.
  
  

  Although some faculties, like Quisqueya and INAGHEI, give courses on the Environment, no four-year colleges offer a specific curriculum in Environment and Development. By the same token, no research scientists and engineers work full-time in this field. The US Census of 1990 however revealed the presence of such Haitian scientists, engineers and technicians engaged in research and experimental sciences in the US. It is believed that a UNDP or TOKTEN project aimed at the repatriation of Haitian expatriates will entice a few of these scientists to come help their country of origin.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  INFORMATION

  Availability of sustainable development information at the national level
  

  Agenda 21 Chapters		Very good	Good	Some good data but many gaps	Poor
  2.	International cooperation and trade			X
  3.	Combating poverty			X
  4.	Changing consumption patterns				X
  5.	Demographic dynamics and sustainability				X
  6.	Human health			X
  7.	Human settlements				X
  8.	Integrating E & D in decision-making			X
  9.	Protection of the atmosphere				X
  10.	Integrated planning and management of land			X
  11.	Combating deforestation				X
  12.	Combating desertification and drought				X
  13.	Sustainable mountain development				X
  14.	Sustainable agriculture and rural development			X
  15.	Conservation of biological diversity				X
  16.	Biotechnology				X
  17.	Oceans, seas, coastal areas and their living				X
  18.	Freshwater resources			X
  19.	Toxic chemicals				X
  20.	Hazardous wastes	X
  21.	Solid wastes				X
  22.	Radioactive wastes		X
  24.	Women in sustainable development	X
  25.	Children and youth
  26.	Indigenous people			X
  27.	Non-governmental organizations			X
  28.	Local authorities			X
  29.	Workers and trade unions	X
  30.	Business and industry		X
  31.	Scientific and technological community			X
  32.	Farmers		X
  33.	Financial resources and mechanisms				X
  34.	Technology, cooperation and capacity-building				X
  35.	Science for sustainable development			X
  36.	Education, public awareness and training			X
  37.	International cooperation for capacity-building			X
  38.	International institutional arrangements		X
  39.	International legal instruments		X
  40.	Information for decision-making		X

  As defined by the head of the Government himself, the Ministry's mandate essentially consists in:

  • defining, promoting, implementing and following-up of norms aimed at environmental protection and rehabilitation, in collaboration with competent authorities.
  • elaborating national policy to protect the environment (drafting of the NEAP);
  • management of protected areas in collaboration with the appropriate "territorial municipalities" or the local entities;
  • developing a program of Education Related to Environment (ERE) for the public at large and for school-age children in particular;
  • preparing an organic law to be discussed with the other ministries.
    
    

  Most phones are in towns. In the rural areas the Government of Haiti is trying to install public services for interurban and international calls.
  
  

  This information is based on Haiti's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997.
  
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  INTERNATIONAL LAW

  There is no information available on this topic for Haiti.
  
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