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The Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG) is a coalition of international development, human rights, and faith-based organizations that advocates for aid accountability, democracy, and social justice in U.S.-Haiti policy. The HAWG aims to amplify Haitian voices in policymaking processes at the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, the Administration, and International Financial Institutions. Since the 2010 Haitian Earthquake, the HAWG has worked to ensure a just reconstruction and recovery effort in Haiti. Learn More
The HAWG is a reliable resource for analysis, advocacy and activism on Haiti. Participating groups meet regularly in Washington, DC to share timely information from Haiti and to coordinate advocacy efforts. We organize briefings on Capitol Hill and private meetings with policy-makers that are often the only gatherings to include Haitian civil society leaders. HAWG sub-committees dig deep into issues that relate to unmet and emerging needs on a variety of issues including cholera, climate change, aid accountability, democracy and elections.
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The HAWG believes that consultation and coordination with domestic Haitian organizations and the Government of Haiti is critical to successful development, and advocates for systematic documentation of aid disbursement to ensure aid accountability and efficacy.
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The HAWG calls on the United Nations to fund and implement the Cholera Elimination Plan.
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Haiti is particularly vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change -- including destructive hurricanes, droughts, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels-- which jeopardize Haitians' food security, infrastructure, and physical safety. Learn More
The HAWG advocates for fair and timely elections free from intimidation, violence, and voter fraud.
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HAWG member Solidarity Center has just published its living wage estimate for garment workers in Port-au-Prince, which covers the need for the Haitian government to provide a living wage to its garment workers and the ramifications of such a change on entire communities.
One of the core findings in this study is that The Solidarity Center estimates the basic cost of living for a garment worker in Port-au-Prince to be $90,928.51 gourdes (about $791.08) per month. Read More
About a year ago, the world watched jarring images from Del Rio, Texas, of the mistreatment of Haitians by officers on horses. HAWG member, Amnesty International, published a report on the race and migration-related torture and ill-treatment of Haitians seeking safety in the U.S. to shine a light on the discriminatory treatment. Read More
On August 16th, HAWG and HRC members convened for a conversation about different frameworks and perspectives on peacebuilding in Haiti. Approaches from the international community and within Haiti can often see the same problem from different lenses. This frequently creates dissonance in approaches, objectives and outcomes. How does this moment demand that we learn better from each other, and ensure that an appropriate Haitian-led approach is central, rather than impose inefficient, ineffective and potentially harmful solutions from outside of Haiti? Read More
Beginning this fall semester, we are seeking a quarter-time, year-long policy and research fellow to support the ongoing development of the advocacy infrastructure of the Haitian Women’s Collective. As a member of the Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG), the Haitian Women’s Collective will sponsor a policy fellow as part of their membership participation. Read More
Tomorrow, July 7th, marks the one year anniversary of the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse. His murder came only days after the killings of activist Netty Duclaire, journalist Diego Charles, and nineteen others in Delmas 32. No one has been held to account.
Members of Congress continue to speak out on matters related to the governance situation in Haiti and how it factors into the insecurity situation and international affairs.
Excerpts:
“For too long, U.S. policies and relations with the Haitian people have perpetuated anti-Blackness and exacerbated injustice…
“A lasting solution will require the United States to withdraw support for de facto ruler Ariel Henry, who lacks legitimacy with the Haitian people, and instead, partner with members of Haitian civil society working to end the corruption and impunity that drives people to flee the island. Read More
Jake Johnston of CEPR (a HAWG member) recently published this piece on dynamic between Haiti, the U.S., and the Summit of the Americas.
“The United States is hosting the Summit of the Americas next month in Los Angeles. The gathering of heads of state has occurred roughly every three years since its first meeting, the last to be held in the US, in 1994. Read More
HAWG member IJDH has just published its latest update on the human rights and rule of law situation in Haiti, which covers key recent developments relevant to human rights in Haiti from December 2021 through May 2022. It follows our previous biannual publications and longer analytical assessment from May 2019. Read More
HAWG members have been organizing and participating in consultations with the U.S. government surrounding the implementation process for the Global Fragility Act, a framework now called “Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability” (SPCPS). This hopefully fruitful work will continue in coming months.
HAWG member IJDH staffer Sasha Filippova just published this op-ed on the hopes and cautions of this work. Read More
HAWG member Solidarity Center continues to accompany Haitian workers primarily in the garment sector in seeking higher wages, benefits and better working conditions. Demonstrations have been met with some violence, but progress is happening
The coalition paused minimum wage demonstrations after the Prime Minister agreed to supplementary benefits to workers’ wages: free transportation to and from the factory and lunch stipends. Read More