Results around the world – Haiti
Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas and one of the poorest in the world. It faces serious challenges related to its governance, the rule of law and its economic development. Despite significant international assistance over the years, the country’s socio-economic indicators are the lowest in the Americas.
Haiti has a population of 11.1 million people and is ranked 163rd out of 188 countries on the United Nations Development Programme’s 2016 Human Development Index (HDI). Nearly 60% of its population still lives below the poverty line. The government’s limited institutional capacities and the prevalence of corruption have negatively impacted Haiti’s overall development.
Haiti is particularly vulnerable to climate change, given its geographic location and weak infrastructure. It has faced additional challenges in the wake of the annual Caribbean hurricanes, including food insecurity and the spread of cholera.
Canada’s development program in Haiti focuses on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; health and education services; economic growth for all; protection of the environment; action on climate change; and inclusive governance. In addition, through its Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, Canada is helping to strengthen the institutions responsible for security and justice in Haiti and contributing to the prevention of violence and conflict.
Key results
In 2017-18:
Through the Inter-American Development Bank, Canada’s contribution to the Back to School program helped 59,000 students receive free schooling and provided school supplies to 282 schools. As of August 31, 2018, 13 schools had been built in accordance with hurricane and earthquake-resistant standards.
Canada financed the reconstruction of the National Midwife Training Institute in Haiti through the United Nations Office for Project Services. A new curriculum for training midwives based on international standards was developed and 41 teachers were trained. A maternity clinic was also built to offer a variety of services, including neonatal and urgent obstetric services, family planning services, HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted-infection prevention services, as well as services for victims of sexual violence.
With Canadian support for the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, CRC Sogema Inc., Université de Sherbrooke and Collège de Maisonneuve, 100 inspectors (including eight women) and 72 police officers (including four women) were trained at the National Police Academy, including in strategies for fighting gender-based violence. Canada also helped develop and implement a policy on the prevention and resolution of harassment for Haiti’s national police.
With the support of the Desjardins international development consortium, SOCODEVI (Société de coopération pour le développement international) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation for Agriculture, Canada was able to offer credit services to 69,268 agro-entrepreneurs via five financial institutions, with 60 service points covering 10 departments in Haiti. To date, there are 16,086 active borrowers from partner financial institutions (of which 27.5% are women).
Via the International Organization for Migration, Canada helped vulnerable women and children in Haiti and the Dominican Republican border regions:
- 2,073 people in a border zone benefited from assistance and now possess valid identification documents (such as birth certificates)
- 79 families were reunited
- 702 people benefited from revenue-generating activities
- 203 children returned to school
Through UNICEF, Canada contributed to a reduction in the transmission of water-borne diseases, including cholera. In the Artibonite department, the initiative provided 443 households with sanitary equipment and enabled 110 women and 157 men to participate in awareness activities around the importance of hygiene practices.
