10 Local Women’s Rights Groups Strategize Advocacy and Prevention Tactics for 2024
Over the past four years, Haitian women and girls country-wide have been exposed to higher levels of violence. However, in the areas where Beyond Borders’ Rethinking Power programs have been at work, intimate partner violence was cut in half community wide.
The Rethinking Power team, based in Jacmel Haiti, is not alone in their efforts to stop violence against women and girls. They march shoulder to shoulder with numerous organizations that make up Haiti’s vibrant Women’s Movement.
Every year between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 and Human Rights Day on December 10, the United Nations calls for a special focus on ending violence against women and girls during a worldwide campaign called ‘16 Days of Activism.’
This year, the Beyond Borders Rethinking Power activists organized a series of events. The efforts complimented the country-wide campaign with additional support from the Delegation of the European Union in Haiti.
In communities throughout the southeast, assisted by local elected officials, the Rethinking Power team led discussions about how to prevent violence against women and girls. In addition, a march was held on December 5th in which hundreds of men women and children took to the streets to demand an end to violence against women and girls.
Then on December 20th, the team brought together leaders of more than 10 different women’s rights groups in Haiti to talk about what actions they are taking and what actions they plan to take in the future. After listening to the conversation, the treasurer for one group announced that while they plan to continue their efforts to make sure that acts of violence are prosecuted, he wants his group to also begin interventions to educate the young people in his community.
As Emanuela Paul, Coordinator of Rethinking Power, stated “This year during the 16 days of activism we see that for the Women’s Movement in Haiti, prevention of violence has become just as important advocacy work for survivors.”
The Women’s Movement in Haiti is energetic and growing. Beyond Borders’ Rethinking Power team is among other organizations that are working hard to collaborate for prevention.
