Programs: Civil Society Building and Institutional Development, Community Mobilization and Development

Countries: Haiti

ADF received funding from the USAID-funded Democracy Enhancement Project (DEP) over a period of eight years, from 1991-1999, to support the development of civil society and democratic governance in Haiti. Under Phase I of the DEP (1991-1995) ADF implemented the civil society development and local government components of the DEP. Under Phase II (1994-1999) ADF implemented the independent civil society development component.

 

ADF carried out the civil society and local government components of the DEP Phase I under its own locally chosen name, the Projet Intégré pour le Renforcement de la Democracie (PIRED). The purpose of the PIRED program was to support effective and sustainable local initiatives that would enhance democratic values and pluralism in Haiti in five areas:

 

•        Free and independent media;

•        Increased access to justice;

•        Broad-based debate on democratic issues;

•        Sound civic education;

•        Effective decentralization; and

•        Productive links between civil society groups and local government officials

 

 

Despite the challenges posed by a coup d’état, the resulting period of de facto rule from 1991-1994, a steady increase in repression, and international embargoes against Haiti during this time, ADF was able to make remarkable achievements under this project. ADF trained 15 Haitian CSOs so that they could better operate their own organizations. ADF training workshops and one-on-one consultations enabled the CSOs to build programs in the following areas: civic education to promote democratic values and pluralism; free and independent media; legal assistance increasing access to justice; and fostering debate on democratic issues. ADF also trained officials and select constituents in 25 of Haiti's 133 municipalities implemented in topics on local democratic governance, civic education and skills training. The local governance program sponsored extensive research, analysis and public policy debate and supported emerging associations of municipal officials.

A USAID evaluation of the PIRED program remarked that “While many individuals and groups have helped protect members of Haitian society during the most difficult times, the public stance courageously taken by PIRED, which was clearly seen as US funded institution, has had a significant impact in changing many people's attitudes about US involvement in Haiti. …. Members of various groups interviewed … indicated to the evaluators that the PIRED building was a safe-haven, "under the protection of the US Government", where they were able to meet and continue the democratic debate with less fear of being apprehended.

 

ADF implemented the civil society component for Phase II of USAID/Haiti's amended Democracy Enhancement Project under a new locally chosen Haitian Creole name, ASOSYE. The project’s more formal Creole name was the Pwojè pou Bay Sosyete Sivil Ayisien la Jarèt.

 

ADF activities under ASOSYE included organizing national and regional forums to foster dialogue among key sectors of civil society, and between civil society and government, on issues confronting Haiti in order to consolidate the democratic transition. ADF’s series of dialogues held in Haiti's nine departments on the issues of decentralization, economic growth and poverty alleviation, brought together over 1,400 representatives of civil society organizations from different points of view in a constructive, policy-oriented debate with public officials.

 

ADF’s competitively based small grants program for civil society organizations bolstered a number of Haitian democratic initiatives. Furthermore, ADF has assisted Haitian organizations to carry out public information and civic education campaigns with a unifying focus on opportunities for citizen participation in a democratic framework and citizen rights and responsibilities. Our workshops to strengthen CSO skills in advocacy trained 400 members of 226 civil society organizations from a variety of sectors such as health, education, agriculture, environment, private sector, justice, and human rights. These civil society organizations are now beginning to apply advocacy skills, particularly in forging coalitions at local, regional, and national levels, and are training their colleagues in advocacy. In addition, ADF designed and implemented the initial establishment of CEDACs (Civic Action Centers) for CSO capacity building, advocacy building, and networking.