Haiti

Part1:Government
Part1:OverviewofGovernmentStructure(processbywhichlawsaremade.)
Haitiisasemipresidentialrepublicwithabilateralparliamentandmultipartysystem.Power
isseparatedamongexecutive,legislativeandjudicialbranches.Thecurrentpresident,
MichelMartelly,waselectedbymajorityvotethroughatworoundsystem.Martelly
1
appointedPrimeMinisterEvansPaulinJanuary2015.
Thejudicialbranchisappointedby
thepresidentfromalistofcandidatessubmittedbythelegislativebranch.Thirtysenatorsare
2
electedbyabsolutemajorityvote.
Theyserveforsixyears,withonethirdofthesenators
beingrenewedeverytwoyears.However,theelectionsdelayshavedisruptedtheorderof
3
thegovernment.electionsthatwerescheduledfor2012haveyettotakeplace
.The
ninetynineseatsofthechamberofdeputiesareelectedthroughabsolutemajorityvotein
singlememberconstituencies.Thecabinetischosenbytheprimeministerinconsultation
4
withthepresident.

Part1a:AnalysisofGovernment/MediaRelationship(keyplayers)
Over90percentofHaitianshaveaccesstotheradio,makingitthelargestsourceofmediain
Haiti.Therearemorethan70communitystationsacrossthecountry,withover290FM
stationsoperatingwithoutalicense.Manyofthestationsareaffiliatedwithpolitical
organizationsorparties.Thereareseveralprivatelyownednewspapers,butduetohigh
levelsofilliteracy(48.7%),theyremaininlowcirculation.Thegovernmentdoesnotrestrict
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theinternet,however,only11percentofHaitianshadinternetaccessin2012.
InJanuary
2015,itwasallegedthatPresidentMartellypersonallygavecashgiftof90,000gourdes($90
6
US)tothreeRadioKiskeyajournalists
.Radioprogramsserveimportantforumsfor
discussingcandidatesandpartiesduringelectionseason.Candidatesandofficialswillspend
moneytogetfavorablecoverageanduseviolencetodiscourageunfavorablecoverage.
Therehavebeencasesofviolenceagainstjournaliststhatopposepoliticians.In2000,Haitis
mostpopularradiojournalist,JeanDominique,wasshotandkilledhedrovetohisradio

http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/haiti/government

http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2593/

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworldfactbook/geos/ha.html

https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedompress/2013/haiti#.VYHCsPnBzRY

http://www.cepr.net/blogs/haitireliefandreconstructionwatch/journalistsdenounceattemptsbyhaitiangovernmenttosilence
criticism
6

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldlatinamerica29785846


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station.TheprimarysuspectisDanyToussaint,whowasasenatecandidateatthetime
.

Part2:Legal
Part2:SummaryofExistingMediaLaws(Constitutionalguarantees,statutes,libel
etc.)
SectionC,FreedomofExpression,Article28
states,journalistsshallfreelyexercisetheir
professionwithintheframeworkofthelaw.Suchexercisemaynotbesubjecttoauthorization
orcensorship,exceptinthecaseofwar.
ARTICLE282
:journalistsmaynotbecompelledtorevealtheirsources.However,itistheir
dutytoverifytheauthenticityandaccuracyofinformation.Itisalsothisobligationtorespect
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theethicsoftheirprofession
.

Part2b:JournalistSafetyIssues(examplesinpast24months.)
Therehavebeennoreportedattacksonjournalistsinthepast24months,however,the
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governmenthasdemonstratedhostilitytowardsjournalists
.InApril2014,theNational
TelecommunicationsCouncil(CONATEL)threatenedtosanctioncertainradiostationsthat
systematicallybroadcastfalseinformationofmanycitizens.Thisthreatencouragedtheself
censorshipofjournalists.Thecommuniquewarnedthatnewsreportsthatdisruptednormal
lifeandsocietywouldbepunishedwithsanctionsandthewithdrawalofbroadcastlicenses.
InJanuary2014,JudgeYvickelDabresilrecommendedtochargeninesuspectswith
ordering,planning,andcarryingoutinfluentialradiohost,JeanDominquesmurder.Former
senatorMirlandeLiberuswasincludedinthelistofsuspects.
Part2c:AnalysisofMediaEnvironment(interviews,newsreports,bloggers,freedom
house,cpj,rsf)
Haitiisrankedat53onthefreedomindexbyReportersWithoutBorders.Thegovernment
regularlydemonstrateshostilitytowardsjournalistswhohaveopposingviews.Haitianlaw
continuestoprovideprisonsentencesfordefamationandthreatsfromthegovernmentoften
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leadtojournalistsselfcensoring
.
Part3:RoleofWomen
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http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_statistics.html

http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=217598#LinkTarget_1356

http://www.ijdh.org/2012/09/topics/politicsdemocracy/freedomofpressinhaitireportfindshaitianjournalistsfacedeaththreat
sintimidationretaliationandhinderedaccesstoinformation/
10

https://index.rsf.org/#!/indexdetails/HTI

Part3:OverviewofWomensRightsinCountry
Part3a:WomeninGovernment
In1987,Haitisparliamentapprovedanamendmenttotheconstitutionthatensuredwomen
fillatleastthirtypercentofelectedandappointedpositionsatthenationallevel.However,
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implementationofthatlawhasstalled
.OutofHaitis99seatsinthechamberofdeputies,
onlyfourpercentareoccupiedbywomen.Tenofthetwentythreeministriesareledby
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women
.HaitiwasnotincludedintheWorldEconomicForum's2012GenderGapReport
forpoliticalempowerment.
Part3b:WomeninMedia(localnewswebsites/rosters,keyfigures...interview)
Thereisasignificantlackofwomeninthemedia.Thefewwomenjournalistsoftenface
sexualharassment.InNovember2014,twowomenjournalistsandfiveotheremployeesat
Haitisstateownedradiostation,RTNHaccusedthedirectorgeneralofsexualand
psychologicalharassment.Thedirectorgeneraldidthisbecausethewomenrefusedtohave
intimaterelationswithhim.Thesevenwomenwerefiredonthegroundsofdefamationand
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insubordination
.
Part3c:GenderLensAnalysis(additionalrisks(culture),precautions,banking,
restrictivelawsetc.)
Marriage
14
Divorce,althoughrare,isacceptableinHaitianculture
.Therightsofmarriedwomen,
includingrightstoproperty,wereexpandedthroughlegislationinthe1980s.Despitethefact
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thatpolygamyisnotlegal,tenpercentofmenhavemorethanonewife
.

RapeVictims
Haitihasahistoryofviolenceandsexualexploitationagainstwomen.Thisproblemwas
enhancedbythe2010earthquakethatdisplacedwomenandgirls.Aftertheearthquake,
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casesofgenderbasedviolencetripled
.TheU.NpeacekeepersstationedinHaitialsopose
threatstolocalwomen.Theprocesstoconvictapeacekeeperforrapeislonganddifficult,
so
11

http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/07/haitianwomenstillwaitingforaseatatthetable/

12

http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2593/

13

http://en.rsf.org/haitiwomanjournalistfiredfor23122014,47414.html

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http://countrystudies.us/haiti/

15

http://www.everyculture.com/GeIt/Haiti.html

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http://www.usaid.gov/haiti/genderequityandwomensempowerment

peacekeepersarerarelytried.Victimsofrapearestigmatizedandlookeddownupon,so
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manyvictimsdonotreportthecrime
.
WomensHealth
Haitianwomenlivingindisplacementcampslacktheresourcestostayhygienic,resultingin
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vaginalinfections.Womenresorttousingoldragsduringtheirperiods
.
Literacy
TheyouthliteracyamongHaitiangirlsis70.5percentcomparedtothe74.4percentofboys
literacy.Literacyratesrisealittlehigherforthetotalpopulation,withanestimated79percent
19
ofadults
.
DomesticViolenceLegislation
IN2007,astudyrevealedthatonethirdofwomenbelievedthatmensometimeshadtheright
tobeattheirpartner.Criminalcodeexcusesamanwhokillshiswifeorherpartnerfound
engaginginadulteryinhishome,however,awomanwhokillsherhusbandinthesame
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situationissubjecttoprosecution
.Thereisnolawpreventingmaritalrape.Haitihas
severallawstocombatdomesticandsexualviolence,however,multiplereportsdetailthe
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lackofwillingnessoftheHaitianauthoritiestoinvestigatethecases
.
Part4:SummaryofHumanRightsConcernsandPotentialSourcesofConflict
Part4a:AnalysisofSevereHumanRightsConcerns(civilwar,rebelgroups,terrorism,
targetedattacksonjournalists,targetedattacksonwomen)
RebelGroupsandGangs
StreetgangsinareoneofthebiggestthreatsinHaiti.In2009,Haiti'sbiggestgang,theGang
ofEleven,tookcontrolofallthegas,bringingPortauPrincetoahalt.TheUN,usuallyable
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tocontrolstreetgangs,wereunabletooperateuneffectivelyagainsttheofficegang
.Drug
traffickerstakeadvantageofHaiti'sweakpoliceforce,turningitintoamajortranshipment
17

http://www.ijdh.org/2015/01/topics/womensissues/unitednationsinhaitijusticeinvisibleforvictimsofrape\

18

https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/05/28/menstrualhygienedaylinksperiodsandhumanrights

19

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_statistics.html

20

2012U.S.DepartmentofStates2012CountryReportonHumanRightsPractices

21

http://focusonhaiti.org/2013/08/12/domesticandsexualviolenceinhaitiinsufficientremediesinadequateresponse2/
http://www.counterpunch.org/2009/01/09/haitisgasgang/

22

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centerforcocaine.Itisestimatedthat50tonsofcocainemovethroughHaitiannually
.
Gangsregularlyperpetrateviolentcrimeslike,kidnapping,murders,armedrobberies,
carjackingsandhomebreakins.Foreignersarelikelytobetargeted,especiallyfor
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kidnappings
.

TargetedAttacksonJournalists
Programmehost,JeanMonardMetellusreceivedthreatsthathewouldbemurderedbytwo
menonmotorcyclesinOctober2013.
FivejournalistsinHaitiantown,PetitGoavewerethreatenedandsufferedfrombothphysical
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andverbalattacks.

Restavec
Restavecisatermusedforchildrenwhoaresenttolivewithotherfamiliesasslaves.It
translatesfromCreoletostayingwith.Childrenfrompoorfamiliesareoftensenttocitiesfor
educationalandworkopportunities,however,thechildrenaregenerallybecomeservants.
Theaveragechildworksalldaydoinghouseholdchoresfornopay.Restavecchildrenare
alsonotallowedtogotoschool,andtheyareoftensexuallyabused.Upto300,000children
areheldasslaves.HaitiangovernmentrecognizesthatRestavecisaformofslavery,but
therehavebeennoactionstakentostopthepractice.Restavechasbeenremarkedasa
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partofHaitianculture.

SystematicRape
RapehasbeenusedthroughoutHaitishistoryasameansofensuringpoliticalpower.After
Aristidewasoustedin2004,menusedrapeasaweapon.Nineteenpercentofwomenwere
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rapedfromFebruary2004toDecember2005.
Part4b:AnalysisofModerateHumanRightsConcerns(denialofcivilliberties,hostile
mediaenvironment,censorship,exclusionofminoritygroups,lackoflegalaccess,
lackofinformation)

23

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/19980802/news/1998214062_1_haititraffickersdominican
http://www.hthworldwide.com/tools/securityPDF.cfm?cntry_id=79

24

25

http://en.rsf.org/haiti.html?debut_contenu=48

26

https://www.rfahaiti.org/restavec/

27

http://www.northeastern.edu/haitinet/genderinhaiti/

PrisonConditions
Haitianprisonsarenotoriousfortheirovercrowding.Haiti'snationalPenitentiarywasbuiltfor
1,500prisoners,butitnowholds4,600prisoners.Threequartersoftheprisonshaveyetto
beconvicted,andpretrialdetentionofthreeyearsormoreiscommon.Womenandchildren
areheldalongsidemeninsomeofthecountrysprisons.Mostofthisisduetothelazinessof
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prosecutorsandjudgesandthesnaillikepaceofthejudicialsystem.

ReligiousFreedom
Haitisgovernmentistolerantofallreligions,however,thelackofpoliceforcedoesnot
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protectcivilianswhoaretargetedbyothers.
HostileMediaEnvironment
TheHaitiangovernmenthashistoricallybeenopposedtojournalists.DuringtheDuvalier
reign,startingwithFrancoisPapaDocDuvalierin1957andendingwithJeanClaude
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Duvalier
in1986,journalistswereunabletooperateunderstrictcensorshiplaws.This
hostilitytowardsjournalistscontinuestoday.Ina2012mediaevent,currentpresidentMichel
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MartellyrespondedtoajournalistsquestionwithIcurseyourmother
.In2014,the
governmentissuedcommuniquestoradiostationsthatpublishreportsdisruptingnormallife
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andsocietywouldbefacedwithlegalaction
.
Part4c:AnalysisofMildHumanRightsConcerns(lackofbasicamenitiesi.e.
electricity,transportation,education,healthcare)
HealthCare
Haitihassomeoftheworldsworsthealthindicators.Tenmonthsafterthedevastating2010
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earthquake,cholerabrokeout.Theepidemickilledapproximately9,000people
.The
diseasespreadquicklyduetotheunsanitaryconditionsofthetentcampsandthelackof
cleanwater.
Electricity
HaitihasoneoftheweakestpowersectorsintheWesternHemisphere.Approximately25%
of

28

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/insidehaitisprisonsanationbattlescrimeandhumanrightsabusesasitstrugglestor
ecoverfrom9755838.html

29

https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedomworld/2012/haiti#.VabFIflVhBc

30

http://www.britannica.com/biography/JeanClaudeDuvalier

31

https://cpj.org/blog/2012/02/waslettertohaitiwebsitejustpartofmartellys.php

32

http://www.cdc.gov/haiticholera/haiti_cholera.htm

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thepopulationhasaccesstoelectricity
.Electricityusageisconcentratedaroundthe
capital,PortauPrince,however,isremainsunreliableandonlyaccessibleforfivetonine
hoursaday.

Transportation
Roads
NumerousnaturaldisastershavedestroyedthealreadydamagedroadsinHaiti.Linking
roadsfromPortauPrincetootherlargecitiesareoftenimpossibleforordinaryvehiclesto
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navigate.Ofthe2,585milesofroadsonly628milesarepaved
.
Trains
Therearenorailwaysexceptforashortstretchattachedtoanexsugarplantation.Haiti
ReconstructionInternationalproposedaplantobuildarailroadthatwouldtraversethe
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island,however,itisunknowniftherailwaywillbebuilt
.
Part5:GPIProgramConsiderations
Part5a:SuggestedProgramLocations
Part5b:SuggestedProgramPartners
potomitan
SAKS
Part5c:InfrastructureChallengesandOpportunities(electricity,transportation,
currency,livingwage)
EarthquakesandHurricanes
Theearthquakein2010furtherdamagedthealreadypoorinfrastructureinHaiti.Over
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105,000homeswerecompletelydestroyed,leaving1.5millionpeoplehomeless
.Haitiwas
severelyaffectedbyHurricaneSandy.54peoplediedand27,701homesweredamagedor
destroyedbythehurricane.EveryJunetoNovemberHaitisuffersfromaseverehurricane

33

http://www.usaid.gov/haiti/energy

35

://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/HaitiINFRASTRUCTUREPOWERANDCOMMUNICATIONS.html

36

http://haitireconstruction.ning.com/page/whoweare

37

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/world/haitiearthquakefastfacts/

38
seasonthatoftenproduceslandslidesandflashfloods
.

LivingWage
TheminimumwageforHaitianworkersvariesdependingontheiroccupation.Theminimum
39
wageforgarmentworkerswasrecentlyraisedfrom$4.50perdayto$5.11perday
.The
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averageyearlyincomeis$400,whichaveragesoutto$1.09perday.
Part5d:InternetAccessandFreedoms(cost,monitoring,providers)
AccessHaiticlaimstohavenationwideinternetaccess.Thehighestspeedpackageis$86
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U.Sdollars,whichisoutofthepricerangeforthemajorityoftheHaitianpopulation
.
InternetinHaitiisranked140outof184countriesonthedownloadspeedindex.
Part5e:PerceivedObstacles(government,laws,safetythreats,INGOlaws,women)
1.SelfCensorship
Thegovernmenthasthreatenedreporterswithopposingviewpointswithlawsuits.This
intimidationtactichasledtotheselfcensorshipofmanyjournalists.
2.SafetyThreats
DisorganizedstreetgangsinHaitiareknownforkidnapping.Historically,kidnappingrings
grabpolitical,socialandbusinessrivals,recentlyhowever,smallergroupshavebeen
somewhatrandomlykidnappingpeopleofallbackgrounds.Themajorityofrecent
kidnappingshavebeenHaitians.Homeinvasions,carjackingsandkidnappingsarethemost
41
prevalentthreatstotouristsandHaitiansalike
3.Rape
Asstatedpreviously,rapeisusedtomanipulateandoppressHaitianwomen.LiketheUS,
thereisastigmaagainstreportingrape.Manywomendonotreporttheirrapeduetothe
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stigmaagainstrapevictimsandthelackoflegalactiontakenagainstrapists
.

38

http://www.wunderground.com/resources/education/haiti.asp

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/world/americas/haitiminimumwageincreases.html

39

40

http://www.haitihealthministries.org/haiti/
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http://accesshaiti.com/homeInternethai

42

https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=15745

43

http://www.northeastern.edu/haitinet/genderinhaiti/

4.EnvironmentalHazards
Haitishurricaneseasonisextremelysevere.ItrunsfromJune1toNovember30.Drivingon
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Haitisalreadypoorroadsduringhurricaneseasonisextremelydangerous
.
Part5f:ReasonsforImplementation(opportunitiesforimpact,local/global)
1.GlobalAwareness
GPIcaninformtheglobalpopulationofpostearthquakeHaitithrough
unbiasedandlocalreporting.Haitihasbeensteadilylosingnewstimeaftertheearthquake,
despiteasignificantamountofstoriesinHaiti.
2.CounterSelfCensorship
DuetotheHaitiangovernmentsinfluenceovernewsoutlets,
journalistsfacechallengeswhenquestioningthegovernment.GPIsoutsideinfluencecan
provideasafeenvironmentforreporters.
3.ExpandingWomensRoleInEconomy
ThemajorityofworkavailabletoruralHaitian
womenisagriculture.Theyareoftenleftwithdifficulttasks,likeharvestingandweeding.GPI
couldprovidejobsandencouragewomentotakepartindifferentareasofthejobmarket.

44

https://www.gov.uk/foreigntraveladvice/haiti

Addendum:KeyInformationalInterviews