Inclusive Local Governance Support in Haiti

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of local populations in Haiti to participate in the development of their communities so that all women and men in urban and rural communities can benefit from decent public services and diversified economic opportunities. Project activities include: (1) support and accompaniment of three ministries and organizations involved in decentralization: (Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation; Ministry of Interior and Territorial Collectivities; and Office of Human Resources Management); (2) capacity building for steering decentralization; (3) training and mentoring of women mayors; (4) support to targeted local governments in the mobilization and management of tax revenues; and (5) organization of consultation workshops and awareness campaigns for better integration of women's needs and concerns in local development. The activities to combat the spread of COVID-19 planned under the project are: to provide personal protective equipment to the staff of the communal administrations in order to ensure the provision of services by the town halls; to provide support in awareness-raising materials; to inform the population about the presence and spread of COVID-19 about preventive measures and about the behaviors to be adopted in order to prevent community contamination.

The expected results for this project include the following: (1) decentralization and deconcentration efforts are conducted in a strategic coordinated and inclusive manner ensuring integration of the distinct perspectives and priorities of women; (2) territorial institutions are modernized and strengthened in order to leverage a more accountable and inclusive local governance that adequately responds to people’s needs; and (3) development of territories is driven and rebalanced by the use of tools and approaches that take into account local circumstances and women’s specific needs.