Programs: Community Mobilization and Development

Countries: Haiti

ADF implemented the Citizens’ Networks (Réseaux des Citoyens) Program funded by USAID from 2000-2002 to foster to conditions necessary for greater influence of civil society organizations on policies, civil society oversight of public institutions and the responsiveness of elected officials. The Citizens’ Networks Program was to demonstrate a realistic approach to working with popular organizations as a positive force for change, and the impact such work can have on the development of democratic governance in Haiti. ADF worked with more than 400 popular organizations in twenty communes of Haiti to increase their understanding of democratic governance and to demonstrate the types of activities that popular organizations can undertake to encourage grass-roots participation and improve the living conditions in their community. ADF helped these organizations to expand their role in Haiti, and to increase the number and quality of actions they undertook that strengthen democratic governance in the country.

 

ADF worked with popular organizations, ranging from those that were entirely apolitical to those with strong Lavallas or Convergence tendencies, to participate in initial working sessions to explore the concepts of democratic governance and the role of popular organizations in achieving this. Local, regional, and national fora were conducted and attended by popular organizations that participated in the democratic governance working sessions, but also other local popular organizations, CSOs and local government officials. As priorities and the commitment to local action emerged from these fora, ADF assisted the communes in establishing local development committees to plan and mobilize community participation for joint government – citizen actions that address local priorities and provide a concrete demonstration of the benefits that accrue from citizens and local government working as partners in the development process.

 

The increased focus by popular organizations on taking action to improve local conditions had a significant impact on the dynamics in local communities. As the popular sector became more organized on issues that reflected real community concerns, the participation of other civil society leaders grew. These leaders (including businessmen; Catholic, Protestant and Vaudou religious leaders; and other non-affiliated community leaders) formed various support groups to work with the emerging coalitions. The reduction in internal and inter-organizational conflicts and the introduction of an orderly process to facilitate local dialogue expanded cooperation beyond the popular sector, to the general benefit of the community as a whole.