A woman digs with a machete as she builds a temporary home in a spontaneous camp for quake survivors being established in Croix-des-Bouguets, Haiti, north of the capital Port-au-Prince. Quake survivors continue to move as aftershocks continue, and reports of aid deliveries in one camp will provoke families from other camps to migrate there.
A woman digs with a machete as she builds a temporary home in a spontaneous camp for quake survivors being established in Croix-des-Bouguets, Haiti, north of the capital Port-au-Prince. Photo Credit: Paul Jeffrey

In the wake of the devastating January 2010 earthquake, the United States government pledged a total of U.S. $4 billion to Haiti for humanitarian relief assistance, reconstruction and development aid. Since its allocation, much of this aid has failed to reach the populations that need it the most. According to the Government Accountability Office, nearly 50% of allocated foreign aid remains unspent, and of the funds deployed, less than 1% of aid went directly to the Haitian government. Meanwhile, the U.S. government prioritized foreign contractors (60% of which were Washington DC-area firms) while less than 1.5% of contracts went to Haitian companies.

Since 2010, the HAWG has advocated for rigorous accountability and transparency in U.S. foreign aid to Haiti, as well as participatory mechanisms that measure the effectiveness of aid among vulnerable populations.   Following three years of Hill-focused advocacy in summer 2014, our coalition facilitated a major victory when the United States Congress passed the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act (APHA), a bill that increases oversight of USAID’s operations in Haiti. Since the passage of this legislation, the HAWG has worked with Congress and the Administration to ensure that APHA is thoroughly implemented.

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.

Recent News:

aid
Aid Accountability and Transparency, Gender & Human Rights, Report

Gender Action report on IFI spending in Haiti

New Gender Report on IFI Spending in Haiti

Gender Justice Scorecard: IFIs in Haiti analyzes the gender sensitivity of Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank investments from 2013-17. The two IFIs spent nearly $1.5 billion in Haiti during this period, substantially less than during 2010-13 following the 2010 earthquake (see our report Building Back by Half or BBBH). Read More

Aid Accountability and Transparency, Report, Uncategorized

1804 Institute launches new report on corruption

Stronger Institutions in Haiti: Can transparency and accountability make a difference in Haiti?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Corruption! Embezzlement! Poverty! The Senate’s report on Petro Caribe provides a glimpse into the depth of the culture of corruption that seems to have characterized Haiti’s governance for the past ten years. This is a crucial time for Haitians to begin a serious dialogue about the role that transparency and accountability can play in strengthening their public institutions. Read More

Aid Accountability and Transparency, Report

Review of “Progress Report” on Haiti

New Release from CEPR

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2016
Contact: Dan Beeton, (202) 239-1460

Washington, DC —
A new paper from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) and the Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG) reviews reports released by the US State Department on contracts for Haiti aid and finds significant omissions and deficiencies, including incomplete data, a failure to link projects and outcomes, and a failure to adequately identify mistakes and lessons learned.
Read More
Aid Accountability and Transparency, Cholera Epidemic, Climate Change

On the Verge of a Deepening, Chronic Crisis

“FORGETTING THE FORGOTTEN”: ON THE VERGE OF A DEEPENING, CHRONIC CRISIS:

Press Release from CLIO and CCO

We, members of CCO & CLIO, the 2 largest NGO associations in Haiti, raise the alarm on the intensifying consequences caused by the neglected management of the chronic and severe hazards devastating Haiti. On October 4th, Hurricane Matthew slammed the western coasts of the island to devastating effect. Read More

Aid Accountability and Transparency, Cholera Epidemic, Elections and Democracy

RNDDH report on Hurricane Matthew

National Human Rights Defense Network, known as RNDDH in Kreyol, has just released a report with their on-the-ground assessment of the situation in Haiti post-hurricane. 

Full report in English and French

RNDDH demands respect for humany dignity by the Haitian Government, Political Parties, and Humanitarian Agencies

Excerpts from the report:

Preparation and awareness of the population of the hurricane

According to information gathered by RNDDH, hurricane warnings were not disclosed in the same manner to communities and they were not made aware at the same time. Read More

Aid Accountability and Transparency, Caracol

IDB Puts Its Weight Behind Low-Wage Jobs and Public-Private Partnerships Through Investment in Caracol Plant

A survey of funding commitments to Haiti made by the Inter-American Development Bank, the main multilateral donor in Haiti, shows that the approach of creating low-wage jobs through public-private partnerships occupies a significant portion of the bank’s investments in Haiti.

IDB Projects Approved by YearThe analysis shows that following an increase in pledges immediately following the 2010 earthquake, the Inter-American Development Bank has pledged consistent amounts of money to Haiti since 2011. Read More