Ce rapport est soumis au nom du Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), de l'Institut pour la Justice et la Démocratie en Haïti (IJDH) et de la Komisyon Fanm Viktim pou Viktim (KOFAVIV) (Commission des femmes victimes pour les victimes) afin de fournir une vue d'ensemble des défis permanents auxquels Haïti est confronté pour se conformer à ses obligations en matière de droits humains concernant la protection des femmes et des filles contre la violence basée sur le genre (VBG).

This report considers and informs on the real situation of women’s rights under the Convention of the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (“CEDAW”) focusing on particular issues in Haiti. The issues addressed are societal discrimination and widespread sexual violence against women, impunity for perpetrators of gender based violence and sex trafficking, exploitation of prostitution and sexual abuse by peacekeepers. The issues addressed in this report were chosen due to the specific focus and expertise of the organizations that drafted the report.

In May and June 2010, MADRE joined delegations coordinated by the Lawyers’ Earthquake Response Network (LERN) to Haiti to investigate the problem of rape and other gender-based violence in the camps. We found that women are being raped at an alarming rate-every day-in camps throughout Port-au-Prince. The Haitian Government, the UN and others in the international community have failed to adequately address the situation. Women, especially poor women, have been excluded from full participation and leadership in the relief effort.

This report is submitted on behalf of the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), and the Komisyon Fanm Viktim pou Viktim (KOFAVIV) (Commission of Women Victims for Victims) to provide an overview of Haiti’s continuing challenges in complying with its human rights obligations relating to the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence (GBV).

Ce rapport examine et informe sur la situation actuelle des droits des femmes au regard de la Convention l’élimination de toute forme de discrimination à l’égard des femmes, en se concentrant sur la situation en Haïti. Les thèmes abordés sont la discrimination sociétale, la violence sexuelle, l'impunité des auteurs de violence basée sur le genre et la traite sexuelle, l'exploitation de la prostitution, et les abus sexuels commis par des casques bleus.

The International Development Committee’s (IDC) inquiry into sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and related misconduct in the humanitarian sector is welcomed. This submission addresses the IDC’s examination of the measures and suggests changes necessary to establish effective safeguarding policies and processes.