Haiti

1. Haiti What is life like for Caribbean women? Kesha, Kim, Melissa, Pheabe & Sai

2. Haiti

3. Haiti

4. Haitian Development Statistics Demographics: • Population 7,803,000 • Annual Growth Rate ~2.1% • Expected Population (20-30 years) over 12.5 million Quality of Life: • Infant Mortality Rate 95.23 deaths/1000 live births • Fertility Rate 4.4 children born/woman • Life Expectancy at Birth 49.38 years (total) • For Women 51.17 years • For Men 47.67 years • Maternal Mortality Rate 600/100,000 annual live births • HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate 5.17% • People Living with AIDS 210,000

5. Haitian Development Statistics(continued) Economic Structure: • National GDP (PPP) $12.7 billion • % GDP from Exports 12.4% • GDP Per Capita $1,800 • Export Composition by Sector • Agriculture 32% • Industry 20% • Services 48% • % of Population Below the Poverty Line 80% Education: • Adult Literacy Rate 48% (total) • For Women 46% • For Men 50%

6. Women & Education • Haiti’s postcolonial leaders promoted education, at least in principle. The 1805 constitution called for a free and compulsory primary education. • The Concordat was signed with the Vatican in 1860 • The Roman Catholic Church sent clerical teachers from France, Vatican City. • They concentrated their lessons on promoting the greatness of France, the backwardness of Haiti, and the lack of capacity for self rule. • The curriculum remained basically unchanged until the 1980’s.

7. Women & Education • In the majority of Latin America & the Caribbean, 95% of children attend primary school. • In Haiti & Bolivia, only 70% of children attend primary school.

8. Women & Education • Only 1 out of 4 children have a place to sit in a classroom. • mid 1980’s – • More than ½ of Haiti’s urban population primary school students dropped out. • In rural areas, the dropout rate was 80%. • Dropout and repetition rates are so high, 3 out of 5 primary school students are in the 1st or 2nd grade.

9. Women’s Literacy • Only about 30% of Haitian children ever begin school, and of the 30%, only 2% stay in school beyond the 5th grade. • These are usually the children of the elite. • Illiteracy rate is the highest in the Americas.

10. Multiple Benefits of Girl’s Education • Increased family incomes • Later marriages • Reduced fertility rates • Reduced infant and maternal mortality rates • Better nourished & healthier children & families • Greater opportunities & life choices for women (inc. better chances to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS)

11. Promoting Health through Education of Women “In study after study done around the world, the single most important investment any country can make in improving social and economic conditions is to invest in girls’ and women's education.” Hilary Clinton Nov. 21, 1998 “Haiti’s educational system has utterly failed for as many as half of the nation’s children.” Sheldon Shaeffer of UNICEF

12. Women’s Health • Health Expenditure  $21 /capita (in US $) • Malnourishment: (one of the major causes of childhood deaths) • In 1978  77% of children in Haiti • In 1995  28% of children in Haiti • Other major causes of death • 85% of adult population live in malarial areas • In 1984  < 20% of population had toilets or latrines • Only ¼ rural population had access to potable water

13. Women’s Health & AIDS • In 1987  1500 suffered from AIDS in Haiti • In 1997  190,000 suffered from AIDS in Haiti • This is approx. 5.17% of the entire country. • In 1987  2 out of every 5 AIDS patients in Haiti were women • Many cases contracted through heterosexual intercourse and routine blood transfusions with unscreened blood to women after childbirth • At least 70% of the female prostitutes are infected

14. Health Services • Concentrated in the capital area • 1 doctor for every 6,600 people • 1 nurse for every 8,000 people • In the poorest areas, 1 doctor for 21,000 people • That would be the equivalent to there being 337 in the state of Virginia (for a population of 7,078,515)

15. Domestic Violence Against Women • Violence accepted as normal behavior • No special legislation on domestic violence exists • Quite prevalent across classes • Most common forms are battering and psychological assault • Justified by men as a result of female disrespect • Violence goes unreported 66% of the time

16. Sexual Violence Against Women • Rape is a crime, but not a serious one • Marital rape is not a crime • Sexual harassment is hardly considered a violation • Existing laws place blame on women • No rehabilitation programs for women/girls in prostitution

17. Political Violence Against Women • Cycle of violence occurs: • When women support, or are related to supporters of, democracy • In the evening, in the victims’ homes • By attackers who are masked men, usually dressed in military uniform • Violate women, abduct the men of the house, leave victims to fend for themselves • Results in psychological trauma, socioeconomic problems, and STDs, including HIV/AIDS

18. Economics

19. History • Most Haitian and Caribbean women came to the Caribbean either as slaves from Africa or as indentured servants from India. • Women of African and Indian descent, were offered release from the patriarchal control of individual men in their own households when forced to work alongside the men as equals in the fields. • After slavery, the Haitian and Caribbean woman’s participation in the labor force continued to be very high despite pressures to conform to the Victorian ideology of “housewifization.”

20. The Global Feminization Of Labor The Factory Workers • Working Conditions: • Low wages (36 gourdes per hour = US$1.30) • No fringe benefits • No unions permitted • Factors influencing suitability of Haitian and Caribbean females for assembly type employment: • The industry is labor-intensive • Women are less likely to unionize • Women are cheaper to employ • Women are more patient • Women have fewer employment options due to the gendered nature of their education

21. The Global Feminization Of Labor(continued) The Small Farmer • Usually female and made worse off by the new export oriented agricultural which benefits larger male farmers • Hold on domestic market threatened by import of food • Little access to credit and foreign market

22. The Global Feminization Of Labor(continued) The Entrepreneur • Economically marginalized due to negative perceptions of female economic behavior by local and international officials who shape policy and allocate funds. Perceptions include: • Concentration in female type endeavors • Fear of expansion and partnership • Overemphasis on employing female or family workers • Risk aversion • Work/home role conflict

23. The Result Of Women’s Participation In The Economy—The Double Paradox • Paradox #1: • Female autonomy as expressed in their labor force and the matrilocal and matrifocal structures exists within larger structure of patriarchy through male political dominance • Paradox #2: • Patriarchy in absentia-the result of matrilocal residential patterns and gender specific migration • Ideological conflict between female economic autonomy and the Victorian concept of “housewifization” • New demand for female labor has increased education and decreased fertility

24. Recommendations For Female Economic Empowerment • Microlending: • Structure and implementation – The Trickle Up programin Haiti • Necessary because most women in poverty cannot access real banks due to lack of collateral and confidence • Evidence of Success— • In February 1997 over 600 microlending agencies operating in over 140 developing countries met for the world micro credit summit • The constant access to capital allows women to build businesses slowly but surely • Acting as their own bankers builds confidence and offers group support • positive social impact: better quality food, clothing and education for their children

25. Recommendations For Female Economic Empowerment • Creating backward linkages: • Small women farmers can potentially play a large role in creating a necessary backward link between agriculture and tourism • Literacy in all its forms: • Technological, academic, social, political and financial will provide women with resources as yet unavailable to them and will empower them to more wisely use the resources that are available

26. Politics

27. History • All over the world women find it difficult to vote • Ironically women make up 50% of the world’s population • Women are not welcome or easy additions to the political process. Some of the challenges they face range from: • The dominance of the patriarchal system • The lack of total saturation into the political party • Limited or no contact with public organizations such as trade unions, women’s association and NGOs • The lack of educational programs geared towards strengthening female leadership • Cultural mores that dictate that political careers are for men; further attributing to women’s low self esteem and confidence

28. The Structure of the Haitian Political System • Haiti is a Republic • There are about 60 political parties, of which 29 are registered. Some of these parties are: • Alliance pour l'Avancement d'Haïti (ALAH), Reynold GeorgesAlliance for the Advancement of Haiti • Congrès National des Mouvements Démocratiques (KONAKOM),Victor BenoîtNational Congress of Democratic Movements • Organisation du Peuple en Lutte (OPL),[précédemment "Organizasyon Politik Lavalas"]Gérard Pierre-CharlesOrganization of the People in Struggle

29. Political Parties(continued) • Fanmi Lavalas,Jean-Bertrand AristideLavalas Family • Front National pour le Changement et la Démocratie (FNCD),Evans PaulNational Front for Change and Democracy • Mouvement pour l'Organisation du Pays (MOP),Gesner Comeau, Jean MolièreMovement for the Organization of the Country • Pati Louvri Barye (PLB), Renaud BernardinOpen the Gate Party

30. Influence of Religion on Politics • Haiti has a long history of dictatorship and poverty; the masses have depended on religion for help • 95% of the population in Roman Catholic • The masses practice Voodoo (black magic) • The politics of religion in Haiti is best personified in the Reverend Jean-Bertrand Aristide

31. Women’s Right to Vote • Haitian women were given the right to vote and stand for election in 1950 • The Duvalier Regime (1957-1986) took thisfranchise away

32. Women in Major Political Positions • Haiti’s first female president, Ertha Truillot • The first female High Court Judge (1986-90) • Brought to power by the U.S. Embassy • Claudette Werleigh, economist • Became Minister of Social Affairs (1990-91) • The first woman prime minister of Haiti • Foreign Minster of Haiti • Later on she became an UN official • Lise Marie Dejean • Minister of the Feminine Condition and Women’s Rights

33. Women in Major Political Positions • Marie-Laurence Lassegue • Former Minister of Information • Current member of the provisional Electoral council • Presently, there are 5 women in the Aristide-Neptune government under: • The Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports • The Ministry of Social Affairs • The Ministry of Tourism • The Ministry of Women’s Affairs • Secretary of State for Literacy

34. Women’s Organization and the Political Process • International Women’s Democracy Center (IWDC) in Haiti • Haitian Women in Solidarity (SOFA) • FANM YO LA – Women are here! • Hope for Haiti Foundation (Grassroots Female Empowerment)

35. Suggestions for Political Advancement • Women’s Organizations • Simplified bureaucratic procedures • Implementing a quota system

36. SOFA (Haitian Women’s Solidarity) Declared the following to be women’s rights, synonymous with human rights: • The right to life; • The right to organize; • The right to speech; • The right to justice; • The right to control their bodies; • The right to education; • The right to their own space; • The right to participate in national political decisions; • The right to live as people, as women. March 1995