Programs: Civic Education

Countries: Haiti

With funding from the NED and USAID, ADF developed partnerships with a number of Haitian CSOs to conduct civic education from 1985–1991. The first phase of this activity took place prior to the departure of Jean Claude Duvalier. ADF worked closely with the Haitian International Institute for Research and Development and others to plan and administer a series of national forums designed to examine issues of democratic, economic and social development with members of the government, the nonprofit sector and private citizens. ADF, with its partner Haitian CSOs, helped citizens learn about the importance of being able to voice one’s opinions. The second phase of this activity led up to and followed the adoption of a democratic Constitution for Haiti in 1987. Technical and financial assistance was provided to Haitian NGOs with widespread and nationwide networks of grassroots organizations to undertake civic education to instruct Haitians in basic democratic principles and the content of the new Constitution. This led to ADF support for Haiti’s electoral process through voter registration activities, get-out-the-vote programs and civic education programs with core information needed to participate in Haiti’s first democratic elections in 1991.