Women's Struggle: 39 Years Later, a Date with History

This Thursday, April 3, 2025, marks 39 years since the historic march of April 3, 1986. This date marked a decisive turning point for the women's struggle in Haiti, with this major event.

Indeed, two months after the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship, nearly 30,000 women demonstrated in the streets of the capital to demand better inclusion in the country's political life. All social categories were represented: peasants, bourgeois women, unemployed women, workers, etc. They gathered at the initiative of an organization called FANM AYITI, with the objective of claiming a place on the political chessboard and participating in decision-making.

While it is true that the Duvalier regime was cruel towards its opponents, it was even more so towards women, whose rights were severely limited. Indeed, although they obtained the right to vote in 1957, under President Magloire's regime, they could neither participate in decision-making nor openly oppose the dictatorship imposed by the Duvalier clan, at the risk of disappearing without a trace.

Thus, the fall of the regime represented the advent of a new era for these women. And this was indeed the case, because in March 1990, while the country was weakened by sociopolitical crises, an emblematic figure of the women's struggle, magistrate Ertha Pascal-Trouillot, was appointed Provisional President of the Republic in accordance with the constitution of March 29, 1987.

The fight for women's emancipation thus made significant progress in this area, notably by enshrining the principle of gender equality, protection against gender-based discrimination, and women's political participation by imposing in the amended 1997 constitution a quota of 30% of women in key public administration positions. As Article 17 stipulates, « that the principle of a quota of at least thirty percent (30%) of women is recognized at all levels of national life, particularly in public services ».

Indeed, this year, the national day of the Haitian women's movement was commemorated around the theme: « Fanm peyi d Ayiti, jodi a, ann make listwa ankò ! ».

For the occasion, the Ministry for Women's Affairs organized a dialogue on April 3, 2025, focusing on the progress made so far, and also reflecting on 6 of the twelve critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action Declaration, 30 years later. In other words, it was about outlining perspectives to ensure the safeguarding of these fundamental achievements.

« It was a date with history to evaluate the progress of the work carried out and continue the struggle in a country where illegal relations between women and men accentuate both imbalances and opportunities », wrote the MCFDF in a note.

The struggle for women's rights in Haiti has therefore been a long battle, and it deserves to be honored, as it demonstrates infinite resilience and courage.