PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – President of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Peterson Pierre-Louis, has welcomed a new initiative aimed at strengthening women’s participation in politics in Haiti.
Delegates gather at the Karibe Convention Center for the launch of a strategy for the communication and mobilization of women within the electoral process.The CEP, in collaboration with the Ministry for the Status of Women, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and UN Women, launched the strategy for the communication and mobilisation of women within the electoral process, under the theme “There is no democracy without women”.
This initiative, which is also supported by several countries including Mexico and Spain, brought together electoral councilors, members of the diplomatic corps, national and international partners, technical and financial partners, women’s and youth organizations, and various stakeholders in the electoral process. I
Pierre-Louis underscored the pivotal role women play in consolidating Haitian democracy, noting that their presence is a critical factor for the quality of democracy and the institutional future of Haiti.
He also paid tribute to the female electoral councilors and women in leadership positions and encouraged other women to become more involved in the politics, specifically by running as candidates in upcoming elections.
He told the launch that registration on the electoral roll is a fundamental step in the process, and that women’s participation must be encouraged at every stage of the electoral cycle. Figures show that in Haiti, women make up 50.4 per cent of the total population and 50.1 per cent of the voting-age population, according to data from the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI).
Candidate registration data provided by the CEP as of November 7, 2026 show a complete absence of female candidates for the presidency, compared to 13.4 per cent for the Senate and 6.9 per cent for the Chamber of Deputies.
Officials say that these disparities underscore the need to strengthen mechanisms for women’s participation in elections and political leadership, in accordance with the constitutional principle that mandates a quota of at least 30 per cent women at all levels of national life.
Minister for the Status of Women, Pedrica Saint Jean, highlighted three priorities, namely raising awareness, mobilisation, and the protection of women during elections.
She lamented the low representation of women in decision-making bodies, despite their essential contributions to the economy, social cohesion, and the resilience of communities in the face of crises.
In her remarks, Councilor Yves Marie Édouard, representing the women’s sector within the CEP, said the participation of women is a democratic imperative and that no society can claim to build a true democracy without the full involvement of women in political life and in the decisions that shape the nation’s future.
For her part, Marie Goretti Nduwayo, representative of UN Women, urged women to redouble their efforts to fully claim their place in the electoral process. She placed particular emphasis on the need to encourage young women to become more engaged and to take their place within decision-making spheres.
The initiative focused on three priority areas with the first area highlighting the goal of promoting adherence to the constitutional quota requiring 30 per cent female representation in political decision-making bodies, with the second focusing on mobilization and awareness-raising while the third area is dedicated to capacity building.
It includes regional workshops covering the legal electoral framework, female leadership, the electoral cycle, and gender mainstreaming, as well as training for lawyers who will provide support to female voters and candidates.
