Ensuring Access to Justice for Victims of Sexual Violence: An Institutional and Human Challenge in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE — As part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women,” the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) organized, this Friday, December 5, 2025, a crucial roundtable on a thorny issue: “How to ensure access to justice for women and girls who are victims of sexual violence?” This initiative, bringing together state institutions, international partners, and civil society, comes at a time when widespread insecurity exacerbates sexual violence while making its denunciation and legal prosecution more perilous than ever. When the findings are overwhelming: justice, a path fraught with pitfalls The interventions, particularly that of the Minister for the Status of Women and Women's Rights (MCFDF), Pedrica Saint Jean, painted an uncompromising picture of systemic obstacles. Victims, “particularly in areas affected by insecurity,” face a triple penalty: the trauma of the assault, the fear of retaliation from often-armed aggressors, and a judicial process described as “still too cumbersome.” This last point is central. Procedural complexity, indirect costs, lack of awareness of rights, slow procedures, and sometimes distrust of law enforcement, form an almost insurmountable barrier for the majority of survivors. In an environment where justice struggles to function for the most visible crimes, sexual violence, often considered a private matter and tainted by social stigmatization, largely remains unpunished. Concrete Commitments in the Face of Urgency Faced with this urgency, the discussions attempted to move beyond mere observation to outline responses. Emphasis was placed on practical measures intended to demonstrate the state's political will. Minister Saint Jean thus insisted on the immediate implementation of free medical certificates for survivors, a measure formalized in a tripartite agreement between the MCFDF, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Ministry of Justice. This certificate, a cornerstone of any judicial procedure for sexual violence, previously represented a prohibitive expense for many women. Its free provision is an essential first step to facilitate the filing of complaints. Beyond this symbolic measure, the announced commitments aim for a deeper reform: strengthening coordination between the relevant ministries (health, justice, women's affairs), expanding free legal and psychosocial assistance services, and simplifying procedures to make them less traumatizing for victims. The joint presence of the OPC, guarantor of citizens' rights, and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), represented by Me Wando St Villier, is significant. It suggests an awareness of the need to act at all levels of the judicial chain, from receiving complaints to the judge's decision. Between Emergency Measures and the Need for Structural Transformation This workshop reveals the permanent tension in the fight against sexual violence in Haiti. On the one hand, it is imperative to implement emergency and support measures to respond to the immediate distress of victims. The free medical certificate is a concrete and beneficial example. On the other hand, these measures will remain limited if they are not accompanied by a structural transformation of the judicial system and mindsets. The promises of “institutional transformation” and a “culture of zero tolerance” mentioned by the Minister point to a challenge that goes beyond emergency measures and calls for deep structural reform. To be credible, these commitments must necessarily be embodied in concrete and systemic actions. This implies the systematic training of all actors in contact with victims—police officers, magistrates, health personnel—to ensure a reception and treatment free from prejudice and denial. At the same time, the physical security of victims and witnesses is an absolute imperative, in a national context where gang domination and widespread impunity expose survivors to serious risks of retaliation. A reform of laws and judicial procedures is also essential to make them more adapted, faster, and truly protective of survivors' rights. Finally, this transformation cannot succeed without a massive awareness campaign, aimed at breaking social silence, combating stigmatization, and encouraging recourse to justice. It is only through this multidimensional approach, combining institutional strengthening, tangible protection, and a change in mindsets, that access to justice can cease to be a promise and become a reality. When the Stated Will is Put to the Test by Realities on the Ground The joint commitment of the MCFDF and the OPC is a positive signal. It recognizes that access to justice is not an ancillary service, but a fundamental right and a pillar of the fight against sexual violence. However, the credibility of this commitment will be judged by its implementation on the ground. Will the free medical certificate be effective in all public hospitals, including in the provinces? Will women dare to go to the police station to file a complaint, trusting in their protection and the outcome of the procedure? In a fragile state where justice is often perceived as distant, corrupt, or ineffective, building a credible path to justice for women victims of violence is one of the most arduous challenges. These 16 days of activism must be the starting point for persistent and verifiable action, because, as the campaign reminds us, the elimination of violence requires much more than 16 days; it demands a deep, daily, and tenacious reform of institutions and society.