General Assembly of Les Cayes: A National Plan to Remove Obstacles to Women's Political Participation in Haiti

Gathered from December 12 to 14, 2025, in Les Cayes, the General Assembly on women's political participation and electoral violence initiated by the MCFDF resulted in the adoption of a 2025-2028 National Action Plan and a declaration of collective commitment. The Minister for Women's Affairs and Women's Rights, Pedrica Saint Jean, presented its main conclusions during a press briefing this Wednesday. Organized from December 12 to 14 in the city of Les Cayes, these sessions brought together representatives from the country's ten departments, state institutions, political parties, civil society organizations — particularly women's and feminist groups —, members of the Haitian National Police, international partners, students, and press professionals. An unprecedented national consultation framework According to the Minister, these three days of work constituted "a historic space for consultation," allowing different sectors of national life to cross-reference their analyses and proposals with a view to building a common vision for a more inclusive, equitable, and secure electoral process for women. Persistent obstacles to women's political engagement The debates and workshops highlighted the multiple barriers to women's political participation in Haiti, despite the existence of the constitutional 30% quota, which remains largely unenforced. Among the main obstacles identified are legal, economic, and sociocultural constraints, as well as generalized insecurity and the persistence of electoral violence. These forms of violence, whether physical, psychological, sexual, economic, or digital, continue to deter many women from engaging in political life, in the absence of effective protection mechanisms. The role of political parties, unequal access to funding, and the often sexist treatment of information by certain media were also pointed out. A national action plan and concrete commitments At the end of the work, participants validated a 2025-2028 National Action Plan on women's political participation, as well as a declaration of collective commitment. This strategic framework is based on six priority areas: strengthening the gender-sensitive legal framework, electoral security, combating violence, accountability of political parties, inclusive financing, and promoting non-sexist media. Recommendations were formulated for the short, medium, and long terms, including advocacy actions, the establishment of alert cells, and structural reforms aimed at guaranteeing a more balanced and representative democracy. Monitoring mechanisms to ensure implementation To ensure the effective implementation of commitments, a National Monitoring Committee will be established under the coordination of the MCFDF, in collaboration with the MJSP, the PNH, the CEP, UN Women, and women's organizations. This committee will produce quarterly reports and establish a database on electoral violence. Concurrently, ten departmental committees will ensure monitoring at the local level, with monthly reports and strengthened coordination in case of crisis. In conclusion, Minister Pedrica Saint Jean called on national stakeholders, particularly the media, inviting them to continue supporting the cause of women. She reiterated that there can be no democracy or credible elections without the full participation of women at all levels of decision-making. The editorial team