The Ministry for the Status of Women and Women's Rights (MCFDF) officially launched, this Wednesday, July 9, 2025, a two-day national workshop dedicated to validating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the management of gender-based violence (GBV) cases in Haiti. This strategic event is part of a collective and institutional desire to strengthen the national response to this structural scourge deeply rooted in Haitian society.
Speaking at the opening of this workshop, the MCFDF representative praised the commitment of the various actors present, emphasizing the urgency of concerted and coordinated action. The Minister's Chief of Staff, Marie Denise Claude, denounced the multiple forms of violence suffered by women and girls across the country and recalled the persistent challenges the ministry faces in its fight against GBV, notably:
- The weakness of the judicial system,
- The lack of reception and support services,
- The weight of patriarchal norms,
- The fragmentation of care efforts.
A Global and Integrated Approach
Faced with these obstacles, the official advocated for a multisectoral, global, and sustainable approach, mobilizing all actors — public institutions, civil society, international agencies, and local communities — around a single vision: to prevent, protect, ensure justice, and transform cultural norms. She also emphasized the need for sustained support for survivors and concrete initiatives to combat the feminization of poverty.
The validation workshop is part of the implementation of the 2014–2034 Gender Equality Policy, a national framework aimed at guaranteeing the rights of women and girls. The 2017–2027 National Plan to Combat Violence Against Women, led by the MCFDF, serves as an operational lever to translate this political vision into concrete actions.
Tools to Transform Reality
The Standard Operating Procedures that will be examined and validated during these two days represent a decisive step towards better care for survivors. These tools aim to:
- Harmonize practices across the territory,
- Ensure speed, consistency, confidentiality, and dignity in interventions,
- Clarify the roles of the institutions involved,
- And strengthen inter-institutional collaboration.
At the end of the workshop, an operational strategic plan will be adopted, serving as a national roadmap for the effective application of the SOPs. It will also enable the training of intervening professionals, structure referral and support mechanisms, improve data collection, and strengthen community-level prevention.
A Reaffirmed Commitment
The MCFDF commends the work of the sectoral ministries involved, feminist organizations, and international partners such as UNFPA, UN Women, and cooperation agencies that contributed to the development of the SOPs.
Concluding her intervention on a note of hope and commitment, the ministry's representative issued a strong call for unity and action: « Mwen swete atelye sa ap mete sou pye yon mouvman nasyonal kote chak aktè, chak sektè mete men ansanm pou elimine vyolans sou fanm ak tifi. Ansanm nou pi fò. Ansanm nou ka chanje istwa survivant yo. Ansanm, nou ka kwape vyolans sou fanm ak tifi. »
This workshop therefore marks an essential step in building a national GBV care system that is more humane, more coherent, and more effective, serving the rights and dignity of Haitian women and girls.
Gesly J. Sinvilier
