| USG Haiti Strategic Overview by Component |
|
| Strategy Component |
Strategy Objective |
Revised 5-year Goal
(as of November 2012 unless otherwise indicated) |
Status of 5-year Goal
(as of March 31, 2017) |
Status
(as of March 31, 2017) |
|
| PILLAR A: Infrastructure and Energy |
|
| Priority 1: Housing |
|
| Support the upgrading of up to five Port-au-Prince neighborhoods, including resources to accelerate rubble removal using heavy equipment |
Remove rubble |
Remove 2.5 million cubic meters of rubble. |
Support for rubble removal is complete with no further activity in this area. |
Support for rubble removal is complete with no further activity in this area. |
|
| Shelter solutions for IDPs |
Provide shelter solutions
to more than 300,000 people. |
The USG has exceeded the goal for this area. |
USG support fo IDP solutions is complete, and original goals have been exceeded. |
|
Upgrade neighborhoods
in Port-au-Prince |
Repair/reconstruct 5,040 homes through USG contribution to HRF/WB neighborhood upgrading project. |
The program has helped approximately 11,000 households safely return to their pre-earthquake communities and 25,000 households have benefitted from community upgrades. |
A Groundwater assessment for Titanyen-Cabaret development corridor was commissionned by USAID and UMCOR. This assessment aims at evaluating the potential sourcing large and sustainable quantities of good quality groundwater to support regional development of growing corridor between Titanyen and Cabaret in the Ouest Department. |
|
| Undertake integrated investments to facilitate the establishment of up to three new communities that offer housing, jobs, and sustainable economic opportunities |
New housing settlements |
Update: September 2014
* Capacity building with community-based organizations to strengthen community management of new settlements.
* As a result of GOH-requested design changes, increases in the cost of construction materials, and delays in obtaining clear land title, the cost for the new settlements increased significantly contributing to reduced goals. The number of houses directly constructed by USAID reached 906 and is now complete. The number of houses to be constructed in partnership with other donors is 574 at Terrier Rouge, Ouanaminthe and DLA 3. |
* At the Haut Damier site, USAID has teamed with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) to provide nearly $2.5 million ($500,000 from USAID) in pooled funding to finance community development support for both the new households and the existing residents in the area. Ongoing activities both here and at Caracol-EKAM include community engagement, governance, and livelihood interventions to address the social and economic needs of the local population.
*The overall number of houses to be constructed with partners was reduced to 426 with the removal of DLA 3 from the program. |
* At Haut Damier site, USAID’s investment through UMCOR has allowed 270 households to get improved access to water, 6,892 individuals to benefit from improved hygiene education, 820 school members (mainly students and teachers) to have access to WASH facilities and 37 teachers and directors to receive curriculum development, teaching methods and management training. This investment has also enabled 222 people to receive poultry and to benefit from capacity building and support for poultry raising businesses.
* The USAID funded site preparation work at Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe is complete. Construction of the houses is funded by IDB are in the final stages of completion. Due to technical and operational issues, the DLA 3 site was removed from the program. |
|
| Provide capacity building and policy reform to the GOH |
Provide technical assistance in urban planning, management, construction, and housing administration. |
* Technical assistance to build capacity of the GOH and improve management of housing sector. |
The USG worked closely with the GOH’s social housing agency (EPPLS) and several partners to ensure that each of the new communities has the support they will need to become vibrant. Achievements include 1. Meeting and awareness raising with EPPLS Departments in charge of financial data; 2. Analytical Codification of projects and main expense types; 3. Analytical Codification of main simplified expense categories; and 4. Training of Accounting Department staff on Pivot Tables. |
Through training sessions and workshops USAID, through Habitat For Humanity International, has trained 935 Haitian citizens and other stakeholders of the Haitian housing sector on how to buy and sell property. In addtion, the mission with HFHI has organized several outreach events where the issue of land and rights has been raised. A total of 836 people took part in these events. HFHI has also developed Haiti’s first practical land tenure guide that is being used by everyone from community leaders, land rights activits, business leaders and international organizations. |
|
| Provide policy assistance in land tenure and titling, the creation of an enabling environment for housing finance and mortgage markets, and regulation and supervision of building codes. |
|
| Increase access to housing finance |
Support the expansion of the housing sector through new mechanisms, exploring the use of the following:
* Home improvement loans;
* Construction finance;
* Mortgage lending;
* Subsidies/ vouchers. |
Generate $20 million in available housing finance through OPIC’s housing finance facility and $15 million in available housing finance through new DCAs over 10 years (end of strategy, plus six years). |
Utilization rates for the DCA program continues to grow with lending in the housing sector on the rise. The OPIC facility has encountered delays in launching, with very few housing loans executed. Home Ownership and Mortgage Expansion (HOME) program, began in 2015 with the objective to provide incentives for greater private sector participation in housing finance and housing development. Target groups are those households with little access to formal lending. |
*The HOME project has partnered with five local financial institutions including banks and microcredit instituitons (SOCOLAVIM, SOGESOL, KOTELAM, SOGEBEL and CFP) and a local housing developer (TECINA) in order to link the supply side (housing projects) to the demand side (housing finance products) of the market. Progress continues with the project parteners issuing a total of 167 loans valued at $3.118 million of private capital. |
|
| Priority 2: Ports |
|
| Assist the GOH in leveraging Haiti’s proximity to the US market by increasing the efficiency of Haiti’s port sector and improving regulatory oversight |
Support the GOH in the development of a long-term ports sector strategy that addresses the need for a modern container port and increases sector efficiency and regulatory oversight. |
Update: September 2014
1. Contribute to upgrades to the port in Cap Haitian; after further due diligence, the GOH and USAID agreed that the optimal approach would be to invest in a major upgrading of the Cap Haitian Port to meet the projected port services needs for the next 10-15 years.
2. Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Council for the Modernization of Public Enterprises, and the National Ports Authority to improve customs regulations and services to reduce port charges to regional levels and increase sector efficiency. |
*USAID’s procurement for major construction works is in the pre-qualification stage. USAID executed an agreement with IFC to support the due diligence and transaction package development for port upgrades at Cap-Haitien.
*Another agreement was signed with the US Army Corps of Engineers for technical and environmental support. |
* A vessel tracking system and portable reefer power supplies were delivered to Cap-Haitien Port through the agreement with UNOPS for phase I landside improvements. Initial engineering assessments for the landside works were completed and design is underway.
*USAID initiated the procurement that will lead to a Design-Build Construction Contract for the major construction works, including demolition and reconstruction of the quays and dredging of the access channel and turning basin. USAID completed the pre-qualification process and is finalizing the request for proposals.
* Through a technical assistance contract, USAID continues to provide support to the National Port Authority to improve its regulatory, administrative, and operational capacity at the CHP; and to provide technical support to the Customs Administration to streamline customs services at the CHP.
* In August 2016, the GOH agreed to reduce government collected port tariffs by 50%, from $310/TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) to $155/TEU. GOH collected port tariffs are a primary impediment to price competitiveness with Dominican and other regional ports.
* The GOH continues its procurement process to select a firm to operate and maintain the Cap Haitien port for a 25-year period. The three preselected firms are preparing their bids. Award of an agreement is planned for late summer of 2017. |
|
| Invest in the design and development of a major international container port in the Northern Corridor in partnership with other bilateral and multilateral partners and the private sector |
|
| Develop an integrated investment package in coordination with the GOH and other partners to spur the development of an economic growth pole anchored by the port development |
|
| Priority 3: Energy |
|
| Electricity Provision |
|
| Modernize the electricity sector by enhancing its commercial viability, improving sector governance, strengthening institutional capacity, and attracting the participation of the private sector |
Legal and regulatory reform |
* Reduce % of technical losses by EDH from 20% (pre-USG intervention) to 10%;
* Increase EDH cash recovery index from 22% (pre-USG intervention) to 58% by September 2015. |
Initial progress in reducing technical losses and increasing cash recovery was reversed due to a lack of political will by the GOH. The activity was not extended or renewed and originally-planned follow-on work was not undertaken. |
* The cash recovery index of 31.7% that was achieved under Tetra Tech’s work subsequently dropped to under 24%. The drop is a result of the conclusion of Tetra Tech’s contract and the lack of will on the part of EDH to continue the reform efforts they put in place. |
|
| Increase revenue collection by the GOH electricity provider (EDH) |
|
| Reduce commercial and technical losses |
|
| Improve and expand the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity through rehabilitation and new construction to reduce cost, increase access, and improve reliability, using micro-grids and renewable energy when feasible. |
Expand generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity |
* Expand power generation due to USG-supported power sources as follows:
* 34MW in Cap Haitien corridor
* 2MW solar in Cap Haitien corridor
* 5MW renewable in the 3 development
corridors* 85K households, businesses, and industries with legal access to electricity service from USG programs. |
*The Caracol 10MW plant has been operational since June 2012. Energy sales to clients operating outside of the Caracol Industrial Park has grown substantially. The plant is providing 24/7 reliable electricity to the tenants in the industrial park as well as over 8,000 residences, small businesses and government institutions outside of the park.
*The earlier goal to expand generation was based on projected growth in electricity consumption by the tenants in the Caracol Industrial Park. Actual consumption has been much lower than anticipated and future generation expansion will be the responsibility of the independent operator. The earlier goal to reach 85,000 customers refers to USAID-funded rehabilitation of five sub-stations in Port-au-Prince. USAID completed its work, but the GOH did not proceed with expanding the customer base, instead they focussed on providing more reliable electricity to existing customers. |
By March 2017, the combined collection rate in normalized connections in Caracol, Trou-du-Nord, Terrier-Rouge, Limonade and Saiint Suzanne was consistently above 85%. Normalized customers are those with meters and billed according to meter readings.
Now after 46 months of operation, the Caracol Power Plant serves 8,228 metered customers in the communities outside of the Caracol Industrial Park. The normalization process is complete for Limonade, Terrier Rouge, Trou du Nord, Sainte Suzetter and Caracol. The core area of the commune is rebuilt and the program continues to address the issue of removing illegal connections. The GOH approved revised electricity rates for all customers. The new rates were implemented in January 2017 for the tenants inside the Caracol Industrial Park (CIP) and in February 2017 for the customers in the five commues surrounding the CIP. USAID has provided technical assistance to ensure that solar micro grids providing electricicty for 450 households in Les Anglais and the 900 households in Coteaux are functional and reliable. USAID evaluated the power plant in Fort Liberte, the only source of power to the cities of Fort Liberte and Ouanaminthe, in order to restore it, upgrade it and bring it back to its full generation capacity. |
|
|
| Priority 4: Alternative Cooking Technology |
|
| Design a comprehensive transition program that encourages households, food vendors, and energy-intensive businesses to reduce their consumption of charcoal by using cleaner and more efficient cooking technologies such as improved biomass cookstoves and/or by switching to alternative fuels such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas. |
Generate incentives and awareness among
consumers of alternative cooking technologies and fuels. |
43,500 households and businesses using improved cooking technologies |
This activity was completed in 2015, with results that exceeded the goal. |
63,585 households/schools/businesses have converted to LPG and improved cook stoves, reducing charcoal consumption of 90,374 MT, CO2 emissions by 618,158 MT, and resulting in a cumulative savings of over $9.0 million as a result of reduced use of charcoal. |
|
Offer financing and technical assistance to
entrepreneurs to develop supply chains of cleaner fuels and cooking technologies. |
|
| Move consumers from the existing firewood and charcoal supply chains to the new supply chains. |
|
|
|
| PILLAR B: Food and Economic Security |
|
| Priority 1: Food Security – Agriculture and Nutrition |
|
| Ensure agriculture sector growth within targeted corridors |
* Within selected watersheds, target two to three value chains for domestic staples based on revenue-generating potential.
* Support export value chains in cacao and mango.
* Transform supported value chains by rehabilitating rural roads, boosting productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, creating enabling policies, improving local governance, and supporting commerce. |
Improve agricultural productivity in the USG development corridors as measured by an increase yield (kg/ha) for focus crops (corn, beans, rice, and bananas) from the 2010 baseline |
Recent drought and flooding has negatively affected crops for local consumption, but export crop (cacao) saw an increase in production and revenue. |
In addition to FTF-North (AVANSE), USAID started 2 new agricultural projects, Chanje Lavi Plantè (CLP) and Appui à la Recherche et au Development Agricole (AREA), in late 2015. While AVANSE and CLP focus on productivity, watershed protection and market strengthening, AREA’s main objective is to apply and scale new technology appropriate to the agricultural sector and train researchers and technicians to support the Ministry of Agriculture. Over the past 6 months, Haiti has gone through a cycle of drought and flood which has negatively affected indicators for focus crops for local consumption (rice, maize, plantain, beans). However, export crops (mango and cacao) saw an increase in production and revenue. Out of 2,265 tons of cacao export, the AVANSE project contributed 1,369 tons or 60% for a total of $4.2 million in 2016. The water diversion system, built by CLP in the Rivière Grise, protected all 10,000 hectares of agricultural field in the area as well as the crops, irrigation canals and houses, while major damages were registered outside of the protected area. Chanje Lavi Plante also focused on irrigation canal cleaning and establishment of demonstration plots to test improved seeds. In the St. Marc corridor, 30,000 meters of canal were cleaned, allowing an additional 5,000 hectares to be irrigated. In the Port au Prince corridor one of the hybrid corn seeds tested had a yield 7.95 metric tons/ha in the trial plots, and was selected along with another high performing hybrid corn seed for a full corn campaign in March/April 2017. |
|
| Increase the number of households which have doubled farm income over the 2010 base year due to USG assistance to over 100,000 farmers by June 2015. Gross margin for base year 2010 as measured by gross margin per hectare: corn $127; beans $190; rice $350; plantains $1,337. |
The strategy was extended to 2018. |
In 2016, FTF-North (AVANSE) and FTF-West (Chanje Lavi Plante) results indicate that more than 14,833 farmers in the North and 4,942 farmers in West received productivity training and technical assistance which should lead to an increase of their agricultural income. Income increases will be assessed based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of several proxy measures at the midterm and/or end of each program. |
|
| Strengthen agricultural markets in USG development corridors as measured by:
* The value in incremental sales for farmers of focus crops (corn, bean, rice, bananas), with a June 2015 goal of $26M in additional sales;
* The value of new private sector investments in the ag. sector food chain leveraged by Feed the Future, with a June 2015 goal of $5M;
* The value of international exports of mangoes in target corridors from US-supported households, with a June 2015 goal of $4.6M. |
Recent drought and flooding has negatively affected crops for local consumption, but export crops saw an increase in production and revenue. |
* Under FTF-North (AVANSE) FY2016 sales of 119,577 lbs of cacao by 675 farmers yielded $105,000 (HTG 6,475,792) in sales for these farmers. Rice sales by FTF-North farmers comprised $2.2 million and exceeded targets by 37%. As noted earlier, as of September 2014, the value of private sector investment in overall FTF programs had reached $4 million (with overall FTF-Haiti goal of $5 million over five years). As of September 30, 2015 an additional $2.1 million in multi-year investment agreements between the FTF-North (AVANSE) program and cacao processors were signed that continue. During the first three quarters of the FTF-West Chanje Lavi Plante program, an additional $506,290 of private investment was leveraged across three private sector agro-processing partnerships, with additional investment levels expected to be confirmed.
* * In 2016, Chanje Lavi Plante trained mango farmers in grafting, pruning and post harvest practices to improve production and commercialization. The project also put in place, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture a mango traceability system to assist mango farmers and exporters in responding to the new export requirement from the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for the upcoming season. An MOU was also signed with the Ministry of Agriculture to provide trainings to Ministry staff in innovative agricultural techniques. The AREA project has established a legume breeding program and a plant disease and diagnostics program and a system of training to encourage maize seed production in Haiti; and started a human and institutional capacity development activity at the Ministry of Agriculture. |
|
| Improve nutritional status |
Using a multi-sectoral approach to be coordinated with the USG health strategy, the USG will address nutrition not only by encouraging income growth in rural areas, but also by expanding the GOH’s program for community management of acute malnutrition to all communities where the USG is supporting services. The USG will also support multi-donor efforts along with the GOH to establish early warning systems as part of a nutrition surveillance system, as well as to incorporate water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions into nutrition programming. |
To reduce food insecurity and vulnerability by supporting the Government of Haiti in establishing a replicable safety net system and expanding capacities to prevent child undernutrition in chrincically food insecure commune s of i North West, Artibonite, Central Plateau, South Easten and Western Departments of Haiti. (As of 9/30/2016) |
603,023 pregnant and lactating women, extermaly vulnerbale people, and children under 5 reached by USAID-supported food assistance and nutrition interventions |
603,023 pregnant and lactating women, extermaly vulnerbale people, and children under 5 reached by USAID-supported food assistance and nutrition interventions |
|
| Priority 2: Economic Security – Access to Opportunity |
|
|
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| “Support for an enabling policy environment” is now named: “Attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and local investment” |
* Support GOH reform of regulatory framework. |
* Increased transparency, modernization, and improved efficiency and effectiveness in revenue collection, budget formulation, budget execution and expenditure tracking and accounting processes.
* Significantly increase foreign direct investments. |
* Foreign direct investment has increased from $119 million in 2011 to $186 million in 2013. USG contributions to the construction of the Caracol Industrial Park and the provision of reliable electricity to the park and surrounding communities in conjunction with another multilateral donor and the GOH have contributed to this goal. Rehabilitation of a port to facilitate shipping for park customers will boost investment. |
Despite a difficult political year, due to a protracted electoral process, foreign direct investment remained at about $105 million , according to the central Bank. The Help and Hope Legislation is encouraging garment manufacturers to relocate in Haiti. It is expected that such investment will pick up in the medium term since Haiti is bound to benefit from the US withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership Also increases in GOH revenue collection due to improvements in the management of the DGI’s Large Taxpayer Unit and in the software and hardware available to DGI (13 of its 24 remote units will be using the new software by December 31), as well as ongoing efforts to create a Treasury Single Account, a major step in reducing discretionary expenditure at the ministry level, a major source of corruption. |
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| * Support GOH in attracting domestic and foreign direct investment. |
|
| Technical assistance and professional and vocational training services to MSME(s) |
Assist informal MSMEs improve their management and governance, register with regulators and tax authorities to become formal enterprises, and access new sources of capital. |
Promote the agribusiness, apparel, and construction industries by supporting larger “lead” firms in target value chains, strengthening management practices within MSME’s, and providing training for employees and job-seekers. The goal is to create 25,000 net full-time-equivalent jobs by the end of 2015, raise revenues/income within target value chains, and increase industry-specific measures of productivity. |
The strategy was extended to 2018 |
As of March 31, 2017 , the LEVE project has disbursed over $3.1M (of $4.5M committed to date) to 33 subgrantees. Activities supported more than 643 MSMEs to improve their managerial skills or expand their operations through capital injection. To date, this support has contributed to the creation of 3,126 new jobs. |
|
| Offer professional and vocational training programs to MSMEs specializing in agriculture, agribusiness, garment assembly, and construction. |
As of December 31, 2016, the LEAD activity awarded 47 sub-grants to SMEs for a total of $7.6 million while leveraging an amount of $12 million in matching grants. This resulted in close to $20 million in capital injected in SMEs.This led to 12,878 jobs created and the partner SMEs seeing a more than $23 million increase in sales over the life of the project. |
|
| Increased access to capital, where appropriate, through investments and partial guarantees |
Improve access to capital by restructuring existing loans to businesses damaged in the earthquake and extending new loans to support MSME growth and expansion. |
* Increase financing made available to MSMEs through USG-supported interventions through our Development Credit Authority (DCA) and other facilities from a baseline total of $4.05M to $60M in June 2015;
* Facilitate 10M transactions through mobile money systems developed with USG support in previous 6 months. |
No update |
As of September 30, 2016, DCA guarantee active agreements totaled $42 million with a total utilization amount of $20 million for 400 loans to SMEs. The OPIC/DIG Liquidity Facility reports, as of Sept 30, 2016, a $17 million credit facility to two financial institutions to finance housing and business loans to SMEs. $1.5 million has been disbursed to SMEs under these facilities. |
|
| PILLAR C: Health and Other Basic Services |
|
| Priority 1: Health |
|
| Develop comprehensive referral networks (150-250K people per network) at the communal and departmental levels within the USG development corridors |
Investment in all aspects of the network – including facilities, equipment, training, supplies, and human recourses including community health workers. |
No change. |
In order to ensure investments in infrastructure, equipment, and staffing are sustainable, the USG will continue to develop 9 referral networks in a limited capacity and focus resources to fully staff and equip 3 targeted referral networks. |
We have fully staffed three referral networks. We’ve made available communication tools/protocols and they are being used by health providers to facilitate patient referrals, as well as counter-referrals. We will fully staff six additional referral networks for a total of nine functioning referral networks by September 2017. |
|
| Support the delivery of a “basic package” of services and targeted infectious disease prevention and management outside the US development corridors |
Support the delivery of a “basic package” of services, targeted interventions for infectious disease to address gender-based violence and child protection. |
* All USG service delivery programs will have a transition plan to either the Global Fund, GAVI, or the GOH.
* Significant reductions in pediatric HIV prevalence, TB incidence, % of underweight children, maternal mortality, and cholera fatalities.
* Significant increase in contraceptive usage and percent of children vaccinated. |
To plan for transition of programming, the USG signed the Partnership Framework (PF) with the GOH in 2012. The PF reaffirms the commitment by USG to support the GOH in coordinating, overseeing and eventually absorbing health sector activities now so often provided through development partner support. The 2012 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) indicated that since the 2006 DHS, modern contraceptive prevalence increased from 25 to 31 percent, the percentage of underweight children declined from 22.2 to 11.4 percent, vaccination coverage has increased from 41 to 45 percent nationally but in the areas supported by the USG, 95 percent of children were vaccinated. The incidence of cholera has been reduced by over 50% since the outbreak in 2010. The newly awarded service delivery project will continue to target the areas mentioned above and will focus on reducing maternal mortality and pediatric HIV and TB indcidence, among other USG priority areas. |
The USG is making a multi-pronged effort to build the Ministry of Health’s capacity to provide leadership in managing the country’s health care systems and services. USAID capacity-building assistance is helping the MOH to improve data collection and usage, upgrade internal management systems, manage diverse funding sources, and improve its ability to attract, train and retain professional health workers, and improve internal governance, transparency and accountability. USAID increased its support to MOH in the fight against both vector-borne and water-borned diseases. Part of the Agency’s investments in maternal and child health were focused on community mobilization activities to prevent and detect zika. This was done by involving community leaders, increasing the number of mobile clinics that provide family planning services, and working on behavior change and awareness. Mosquitoes repellents were distributed to pregnant women and community health workers conducted outreach activities to help educate families about Zika prevention measures, such as eliminating standing water around households. USAID also made major investments in the area of Cholera prevention through home water treatment products to ensure that families have access to clean and potable water. We also carried out behavior change campaigns on sanitation and hygiene practices that would help prevent disease transmission. |
|
| Establish disability care to support GOH and civil society capacity to provide care and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities |
Establishment of service centers to provide surgical interventions, mobility aids, physical rehabilitation, psychosocial and social service support, and vocational programs for persons with disabilities.
Provision of technical assistance to the MOH, Social Affairs and organizations of disabled people to build capacity in developing clear standards, furthering rights and opportunities, and the enforcement of building codes for accessibility to persons with disabilities. |
No change. |
Four service centers have been identified to date: Justinien and Milot Hospitals in the North Department; State University and Miragoane Hospitals in Port-au- Prince and the West Department. Activities are ongoing in the State University, Justinien, and Milot Hospitals. The Fondere Medical Center in Ouanaminthe is providing rehabilitation services. Approximately 20 patients received corrective surgery at the State University Hospital, as well as at Justinien. Community Based Organizations have been identified to garner community support and refer patients to the service centers.
Training curriculum has been developed and training has begun for 27 rehabilitation technicians and 32 prosthetics and orthotics technicians. Handicap International is increasing the required training period for rehabilitation technicians from 11 months to two years in order to receive accreditation. Working groups are being formed to develop standards for the Prosthetics and Orthotics profession.
Christian Blind Mission International (CBM) convened the two largest umbrella networks of DPOs and prepared a formal agreement to work together on a single national strategy to increase public awareness of the rights and needs of people with disabilities, and to strengthen DPOs. Five DPOs each received $50,000 to build their capacity.
The Organization of American States provided technical assistance to the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs to build capacity in standard setting, accreditation, oversight, and coordination of rehabilitation and reintegration programs. |
Through the spinal cord injury program implemented by St Boniface Hospital in Fonds des Blancs, 165 patients benefited from clinical and rehabilitation care of which, 128 remain active in the program. Handicap International reached 204 children with disabilities through awareness sessions on prevention of HIV, violence and abuse. Fifty one (51) teachers, supervisors, medical and educational staff including IBESR (Institut du Bien être Social et de la Recherche) staff were sensitized through training modules on non-discrimination, protection , detection and care for orphans and vulnerable children including disabled children in the context of HIV. Service Chretien worked with over 600 people with disabilities and trained 250 people (religious leaders, local authorities , members of civil society ) on reintegration. Twelve DPOs were trained to ensure people with disabilities know their rights as based on the Haitian Costitution, laws and the UN Convention. |
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| Increase support to the Ministry of Health in strengthening systems and governance |
Strengthen MOH systems for information management, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, procurement, maintenance of health supply chain, management of services, and budgeting; assess opportunities to use technology to improve health system performance; improve and expand the capacity of the existing health workforce; recruit and retain health workers; and develop health financing mechanisms. |
* MOH exercises primary oversight of health service delivery by providing additional USG service delivery through a GOH entity;
* Unified national supply chain and active distribution strategy with a focus on pilot departments and the development corridors;
* Unified and comprehensive platform for data management;
* Integrated MOH budget with GOH and donor funds; and
* A health workforce better aligned to needs. |
*Support for service delivery includes introducing the MOH to results-based financing, enabling accountable MOH governance of future projects. The USG is also providing technical assistance to strengthen the MOH contracting function to ensure the effective implementation of the results-based financing model.
* Progress continues towards a unified national supply chain through technical assistance. In January 2016, the plan for the creation of the system (in French, Système National d’Approvisionnement et de Distribution des Intrants de santé (SNADI)) was validated by the Ministry of Health Minister. Based on a USG-funded Supply Chain System Option Analysis, a specific distribution system was selected for the SNADI. This year, USG is financially supporting the MOH for the hiring and on-the-job training of local consultants who will constitute the SNADI Coordination Unit. This Unit will oversee SNADI implementation and coordinate the management and active distribution of health commodities within the public health sector countrywide.
* To improve health data, the USG is supporting a comprehensive information system in the health sector.
* USAID has supported the first data quality assessment of the information system used to monitor Haiti’s human resources for health leading to the availability of up-to-date, accurate information that can be used to identify gaps so that evidence-based retention and redistribution policies can be developed to address these issues.
*USAID continues to provide leadership, management and governance support to the MOH. |
*USAID now has contracts in place with 29 health facilities for Results-Based Financing (RBF). Results- Based Financing is a national strategy of the MOH supported by USAID and the World Bank that will link program results directly to incentive payments to health facilities, with the goal to enhance facility performance and improve health outcomes. RBF incentive payments will provide additional budgetary resources to individual facilities that achieve pre-approved performance targets developed by World Bank and USAID in collaboration with, and approved by, the MOH. A proportion of these payments will go directly to staff to incentivize high performance. The remainder will be used for facility improvements including new equipment and renovations. USAID has taken specific steps to put in place the oversight necessary to ensure that the funding provided to the MOH for the RBF initiative is used as intended. Achievement of performance targets will be verified by two local firms that will serve as independent verification entities. Through these firms, USAID will engage external technical assistance to check that all calculations and assessments of performance are being done correctly.
*With the support of the Health Finance and Governance (HFG) project, the MOH developed the Human Resource Performance Management System. In addition, USAID has assisted the Mirebalais Hospital, Saint Damien Hospital and Sacré Coeur Hospital of Milot (HSCM) in making gains toward complete costing studies and business plans. For sustainability purposes, the USG conducted joint costing activities with Justinian Hospital (JUH) and the Unite d’ Execution de Program (UEP). The hospital services costing data collection has been completed, including the practical training of 2 UEP staff. The in-progress JUH costing exercise will be complemented by HFG’s theoretical training in costing hospital services and business plan development. This combination of practical and theoretical trainings will result in UEP’s increased capacity through the 2 UEP staff members who participated in the JUH costing as well as a larger UEP team to be trained in hospital costing and business plan development. It is anticipated that UEP’s strengthened capacity will ensure the replicability of costing and business plan development for other hospitals under the auspices of the MOH.
*USAID will continue to provide leadership, management, and governance support to the MOH and the three national health programs under its direction (Programme National de Lutte contre le SIDA [PNLS], Programme National de Lutte contre la Tuberculose [PNLT], Programme National de Lutte contre la Malaria. USAID continues to support improvements in financial oversight and accountability as well as performance and coordination. USAID continues to support the Direction de l’Organisation des Services de Santé (DOSS) in implementing the Essential Package of Services that was launched in 2016 within three arrondissements of three departments.
*Two years ago, USAID successfully consolidated its supply chain operations for HIV/AIDS and family planning which were formerly managed by two different implementing partners. In addition, the distribution activities were sub-contracted to three local Haitian private sector organizations (“third party logistics” or 3PL). This warehousing consolidation and outsourced distribution are more efficient and cost effective. Lessons learned from the restructuring were presented to the MOH and interested partners as a model for the future integration of all existing supply chains for health commodities, a milestone in the creation of a national system for the GOH. In 2016, in the context of reinforcing the national supply chain system, USG consolidated its warehousing and distribution operations with the new Global Fund Principal Recipient for HIV/AIDS. This year, further supply chain integration is being sought with the GF-funded Tuberculosis and Malaria programs as well as UNFPA.
*With USAID support the MOH will continue to expand the SISNU platform (DHiS2) to all health facilities and covering almost aspect of the routine health statistics. An emphasis is currently being placed on the data quality and completeness ensuring that MOH has a more complete view of the status of the health facilities and clients frequenting the health systems. |
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| Rebuild and reform management of public health infrastructure |
Renovate earthquake-damaged structures in the PaP metropolitan area as well as filling critical facility gaps within communal referral networks in the development corridors. |
No change. |
*Construction of pediatrics ward of Justinien hospital underway and expected to be completed by late 2017.
*Work on the National Campus of Health Sciences is substantially complete and all work is expected to be completed by the middle of 2017.
*Construction at The State University Hospital (HUEH) is underway, with completion expected by mid-2018. |
*Completed infrastructure projects include the renovation of the maternity and emergency wards at the State University Hospital, health centers at St. Michel d’Attalaye, electrifying new offices for MOH, and procurement of generators capable of providing power.
*A total of 12 health facilities and schools have been renovated to provide better health care and universal access for disabled people.
*Other infrastructure projects are underway or nearing completion. |
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| Priority 2: Education and Youth-Focused Services |
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| Improve the GOH’s capacity to plan, coordinate, regulate, and deliver quality education services. |
Build GOH capacity and establish standards in the areas of school licensing and in-service teacher training, including through technical assistance to the MOE |
Provide technical assistance to build the capacity of MENFP to foster public-private partnerships and to assist in the licensing and accreditation of schools. |
Goal is being accomplished through ongoing assistance at the MENFP. |
The early grade reading program has been restructed for implementation through a combination of two new early grade reading activities utilizing a GDA and a PIO grant. Through the new activities, USG will assist MENFP in its in-service and pre-service training for educational personnel, as well as instructional material development. |
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| Facilitate public private partnerships to support offers of assistance for education and youth-focused projects |
To create connections for private entities interested in working in or funding education projects in Haiti through the use of tools such as the Global Development Alliance (PPP Seed Money). |
Provide more than 28,000 children and 900 teachers with innovative reading curricula that meet international standards for literacy instruction. |
The programming has met the goal of reaching 28,000 children and 900 teachers with improved curricula. |
GDA was established with W.K.Kellogg Foundation and the other donor for an early grade reading activity to be implemented by the University of Notre Dame |
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| Increase provision of complementary youth-focused services in targeted communities within the development corridors. |
Build on post-disaster classroom construction efforts to Non-formal basic education for out-of-school youth |
Objective 3 as envisioned in the USG Strategy is not being implemented under the Education program. Workforce development activities will be funded within Pillar B: Economic Security. |
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| This activity is tracked under Pillar B: Food Security. |
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| PILLAR D: Governance and Rule of Law |
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| Priority 1: Governance |
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| Support Credible Electoral and Legislative Processes |
* Provide long-term technical assistance to electoral institutions, and build capacity for civic education and electoral observation;
* Provide support to Parliament to represent constituent interests, oversee GOH reconstruction efforts, and draft and enact reform legislation. |
* Permanent electoral council operational and able to execute elections with minimal international assistance;
* Electoral results returned faster and more accurately;
* Greater % of elections expenses funded by GOH;
* Parliament capable of operating transparently, according to set procedures and within budgetary limits;
* Increased level of ongoing dialogue with citizens maintained;
* Increased % of reform legislation passed. |
The 1987 constitution introduced Haiti’s electoral administration system which mandated that transitional elections be administered by a provision council until a permanent electoral council (CEP) could be established. Almost three decades later, Haiti has seen some 20 provisional CEPs come and go. Political actors have had little will to establish a permanent, independent electoral body, since control over electoral administration is seen as one of the ways to win an election. Absent a permanent elections council, the GOH did name another Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in March 2016, which successfully held long overdue Presidential and Parliamentary elections in November 2016 and January 2017.
* In FY 2016, in support of the eventual establishment and effective functioning of a Permanent Electoral Council, USAID conducted a series of roundtable discussions with former CEP members to issue recommendations that informed the decision-making process in promotion of the institution becoming a permanent body. Participants agreed to conduct advocacy for an autonomous CEP that would require minimal international support for the administration of elections.. |
* From 2013 through 2016, Haiti was beset by electoral postponements, occasioned either by lack of consensus among the political elites or by ill-timed natural causes, such as the October 2016 passage of Hurricane Matthew. Haiti has finally passed two important milestones, with a series of credible elections allowing a new Parliament to be seated in February 2016 and an elected President in February 2017.
* Throughout 2016, the successful organization of elections was a key focus of U.S. efforts. In total, the United States contributed more than $36 million for Haiti’s extended elections cycle, predominantly to support operations and logistics. Of this amount, more than $33 million came through USAID and was used to provide technical assistance to Haitian electoral institutions; international and domestic election observation; capacity building for political parties and civic education; and security and logistical support for elections.
* With USAID support: more than 200 election officials received training to strengthen their ability to effectively manage the electoral process; a civil society coalition deployed over 1,500 domestic observers for each round of elections; nearly 5.6 million individuals received civic and voter education training across the country.
* Without elections to replace outgoing Members, by January 2015 Haiti’s Parliament had effectively lapsed with the expiration of all but 10 Members’ terms. The necessary two rounds of Parliamentary elections were finally held in August and October 2015, resulting in the seating of an elected Haitian Parliament in February 2016. Unfortunately, the 2015-2016 period of controversy over Presidential elections served as a distraction to Parliament, who focused on the unfolding political situation rather than legislation or citizen dialogue. With the successful conclusion of Presidential elections in January 2017, however, Parliament seem to be somewhat reinvigorated, and has published an ambitious legislative calendar. In February 2017, Members reportedly participated with enthusiasm in a multi-day retreat funded by USAID. |
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| Strengthen Public Administration and Financial Accountability |
* Provide technical assistance, staff, training and capacity building to key GOH institutions;
* Create a Fellows Program to contribute to transparent, effective public administration in key GOH Ministries. |
* Financial Management Systems functioning across 41 GOH entities and expanding to regional and municipal levels, with at least 50% of GOH revenues and expenditures tracked by the system.
* Improvement in World Bank Effectiveness and Transparency International Corruption Perception Index scores.
* GOH financial management systems meet USG direct funding qualifications.
* Targeted GOH institutions demonstrate improved capacity to plan, strategize and measure results of operations.
* Information-based tax administration increases domestic tax revenue by 3% of GDP.
*Support efforts to raise the low revenue productivity of the tax system by procurement of an integrated tax administration IT system, promotion of voluntary compliance, and improved capability in taxpayer audit.
*Support the development of strengthened budget process and Treasury Single Account.
* Assist in developing legal and regulatory framework for effective insurance sector oversight.
* Improve MEF’s ability to manage its cash and debt issuance needs. |
USAID helped to re-establish the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) activity in mid-2010; as of November 2014, this system was being used in 48 offices throughout the Government of Haiti, primarily at the ministerial level in Port-au-Prince. A new IFMS activity involving installation of an interface to allow connectivity between the GOH revenue and expenditures systems and expansion to regional and municipal levels was awarded in September 2014.
*USAID is supporting the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to improve public financial management, procurement systems, access controls, and file management for its internal network, which is used by more than 300 MEF employees.
* USAID is supporting the Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH) to improve technical expertise and human resource management within national government ministries and agencies.
* Haiti’s score on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index improved slightly from 2011 to 2016 from a score of 18 to 20, and from a rank of 175th to 159th worldwide. Haiti’s score on World Bank governance indicators similarly saw slight improvement over five of six of their key governance indicators over that time frame; the index of government effectiveness, however, declined after 2013.
*The Large Taxpayer Office implemented an audit plan resulting in increased audit assessments.
* Haiti made progress toward implementing a Treasury Single Account by identifying and closing bank accounts (in process) under the control of the Treasury, creating a database for all TSA accounts, and developing a TSA banking structure for implementation by the BRH. Further progress is impeded by BRH banking system inadequacies and inability to acquire prior actual data from BRH for cash flow projections.
* Preliminary work has been completed with respect to the establishment of a basic regulatory and prudential framework for insurance sector oversight, but legislation needs to be enacted detailing the Ministry of Finance oversight responsibilities and providing the legal basis for the establishment of the new Supervisory Agency for Insurance. In the interim, progress has been made on capacity building and training of newly hired staff.
* The Debt Department is nearly staffed, staff assignments and responsibilities are in place, and a Debt Department procedures manual has been drafted. The BRH has reduced its issuance by more than 50% to accommodate MEF issues. |
* In FY 2016, the IFMS project: installed data exchange software on servers and delivered IT hardware to 13 GOH institutions that are participating in a program for electronic data exchanges between government ministries and offices; began renovations of the Ministry of Economy and Finance Network Operating Center server room facility; initiated procurement of hardware and software for upgrade of the Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH) automated human resource system to provide linkage to the GOH payroll system and controls to reduce unnecessary payroll costs.
*In FY 2016, 14 experts were placed at a number of GOH ministries/offices, including the Office for Handicapped Persons (BSEIPH), the Ministry of Agriculture (MARNDR/CNSA), the Ministry of Education (MENFP) and OMRH, where two technical advisors have now been officially nominated as civil servants.
*USAID supported OMRH to develop human resource management tools, including a computer database to keep track of government employees and their movements within Civil Service, a recruitment guide for the government of Haiti to ensure the transparent recruitment of highly-qualified civil servants, a recruitment platform for the GOH, and a finger print time and attendance system at the OMRH. |
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| Improving Local Governance Capacity |
* Provide technical assistance to support local government planning, budgeting and management capacity.
* Develop synergies between existing long-term USAID local government programs and community stabilization projects implemented by USAID/OTI. |
* Increased levels of citizen confidence in local government within the development corridors.
* Emergence of capable local governments that sustainably collect increased tax revenue and re-invest those funds in citizen-prioritized public services.
* Local governments demonstrate improved disaster planning.
* Legislative framework for decentralization drafted, passed and implementation begun. |
* Citizen satisfaction levels with local government improved slightly from 2010 to 2014 (the latest America’s Barometer survey).
* USAID continued support to the GOH to deliver services to citizens, as well as the ability of local governments to generate revenue.
* USAID and the Department of Defense have worked closely with the Civil Protection Directorate (DPC)—to build capacity of the network of departmental and municipal emergency committees through training and technical assistance, provision of equipment, and related interventions. The DPC now better performs its coordination role at both central and departmental levels. Ten SOUTHCOM-constructed Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) (one in each Department) were completed during FY 2013 and transferred to the DPC, or will be completed soon.
* Since FY 2011, USG-supported disaster simulation exercises took place in several departments and Port-au-Prince annually, reinforcing disaster response capacity in preparation for hurricane seasons. The USG supports GOH partners and donors to continue to test and improve response capacity at the national, departmental, and communal levels. 32 communities in FY 2013 were fitted with Early Warning systems linked to a response system in place as a result of USG assistance. |
* Through its governance activity, LOKAL+, USAID helped increase transparency, oversight, and accountability of local government offices by strengthening the capacity of nine target municipalities. LOKAL+ helped increase local tax collection through property surveys of small and medium enterprises, training to fiscal services personnel in the partner communes, and communication campaigns. In addition, LOKAL+ worked to increase local and central government coordination, and the Ministry of Interior is now capable through a task force of 19 people, to install the innovative tax and budget management software CIVITAX in local governments. LOKAL+ also initiated a study to assess the number of communes that can increase revenue from fees, permits and license, as well as strengthen civil society in six targeted municipalities through consultative committees. These committees hold local governments accountable through public hearings on allocation of local revenues and prioritization and implementation of community projects, presentation of the municipal budget and plans.
* With USAID assistance, nine targeted municipalities conducted tax censuses and launched a “Pay Your Taxes” public information campaign. As a result, the municipalities collected a total of $7,803,469 in the period October 1, 2015-August 31, 2016.
* In spite of these achievements, municipalities faced significant challenges. Since FY 2016 began without a functioning Haitian parliament, Haiti’s national budget was passed as a presidential decree. Provisions included two articles that negatively impacted revenue collection from the two principal taxes upon which Haiti’s communes largely depend: the business tax and the property tax. Both articles in the decree were included without consultation with the Tax Authority (DGI in French). |
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| Priority 2: Rule of Law |
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| Strengthen judicial independence and operational capacity of the courts |
* Support with other donors the rebuilding and supply of equipment to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJPS) and courts;
* Support the re-implementation of manual case registry systems;* Support with other donors the development of civil registries and a national criminal database, and training to implement the system. |
* Rebuild Ministry of Justice and Public Security offices, and Haitian judicial system functions efficiently and independently over time;
* Train judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other justice sector personnel on using the new criminal codes, once passed;
* Maintain and expand existing legal aid centers to new localities;
* Reduce the average number of days for a case to go to trial;
* Reduce pretrial detention in targeted jurisdictions by 20%;
* Increase the number of land tenure cases resolved through the court system;
* Increased citizen confidence in the criminal and civil justice systems as measured by public opinion surveys. |
* Through its Rule of Law program, USAID continued to support the High Judicial Council (CSPJ), which administers, controls, and disciplines the court system, including vetting and assigning judges. CSPJ also monitors judicial corruption, defines standards of conduct, and penalizes judges who are not in compliance. USAID’s assistance was provided to the CSPJ’s Vetting Commission through an embedded adviser and the logistical support to help conduct on-site vetting missions in selected jurisdictions. As a result, the vetting commission was able to investigate 52 files that were submitted to the CSPJ for final review and vetting. USAID also supported the first electronic case management system in the court and prosecutor’s office of Cap Haitian, which will enable more transparent processing of criminal cases by allowing judicial officers to track the status of pending cases and will enable better oversight of movement or lack of movement on cases, which might be related to alleged bribery or other corruption.
* With technical support from USAID, final drafts of the new criminal procedure code and penal code were submitted to the Council of Ministers in 2012, and with continued USG support, revised code drafts were completed in February 2016. In April 2017, the Ministry of Justice presented the draft codes to Parliament, where the codes are now under review by the Senate Justice Committee before coming up for a vote in both Chambers. The new President, Jovenel Moise, has stated his support for their approval by parliament.
* INL assistance enhanced oversight and professionalization of Haiti’s justice sector through a grant program intended to support and bolster a Judicial Inspection Unit to ensure proper oversight of judges. INL completed a partially-existing security wall around the Magistrate’s School, Haiti’s training facility for judges.
* INL awarded a grant to support the Judicial Inspection Unit (JIU) within the CSPJ, which is responsible for overseeing judges and addressing their misconduct. The project increased the transparency, quality, and number of adjudicated cases in Haiti by holding judges accountable for their professional conduct, integrity, and quality of work. The grant period of performance is through March 31. 2017. INL grantee the American Bar Association also continues a grant to provide cross training for justice sector actors on basic and specialized skills, including investigation techniques, pre-trial preparations and defending/prosecuting a suspect during trial, as well as specialized trainings on issues such as investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, anti-corruption and money laundering, kidnapping, sexual and gender based violence, criminal code reform, ethics and human rights.
• An ongoing INL program provides cross-sector training to the police and justice sector actors on basic and specialized skills, including evidence collection, proper investigative techniques, reporting, case preparation, sexual- and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, kidnapping, anti-corruption, and money laundering. INl has trained more than 2,259 justice sector actors since the earthquake. |
* Prolonged pre-trial detention and severe overcrowding in inadequate facilities have created a human rights problem for Haitian prison inmates. In FY 2016 in the justice sector, the USAID-funded project continued to support local judicial authorities to reduce illegal and prolonged pretrial detention at the Pétionville Women’s Prison, the National Prison, and the prisons of Croix des Bouquets, St. Marc, Cap Haitien, and Fort Liberté. These prisons saw a reduction in the level of illegal pre-trial detention due to improved capacity to review and prioritize cases, to procedurally advance cases, to obtain the release of illegally detained individuals before trial, and to achieve the release of convicted detainees held illegally beyond their court-ordered release dates. With USAID assistance, judicial authorities advanced 63 cases, released 79 detainees, acquitted 31 individuals, and convicted 44 individuals in FY 2016. With the support of USAID and in collaboration with the MOJ, the USAID project trained 58 justice sector personnel on the project-developed electronic case management information system (CMIS) in the courts of St. Marc, Fort Liberté, and Port-au-Prince. Use of the CMIS is expected to increase efficiency and oversight of pending court cases.
*Alongside the important support USAID provided to judicial actors to improve legal services to prisoners, USAID’s Health through Walls (HTW) activity provided lifesaving health services to prisoners in the National Penitentiary, the Women’s prison, and the prisons of Cap Haitian, Central Plateau and the Les Cayes. HTW supported voluntary HIV counseling, testing, care and treatment; tuberculosis screenings; and training and support for peer education on health promotion and sanitation practices. In FY 2016, the program tested over 20,821 prisoners and families of prisoners for HIV/AIDS, resulting in the treatment of more than 700 prisoners for HIV/AIDS, as well as the detection and treatment of seven cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
* The period of performance for the Judicial Inspection Unit (JIU)-related project grant was amended to continue through 3/31/17. During the current reporting period, the program implemented the following key activities: (a) provided assistance and technical support to JIU’s fourth inspection, (b) organized and led the implementation of two training sessions for the eight new JIU new inspectors; (c) assisted with drafting four JIU reports on the inspections conducted; (d) completed the process for reviewing the law establishing the High Judicial Council (CSPJ); and (e) provided supplies to the CSPJ.
* INL amended a project grant that provides cross-sector training to police and justice sector actors through 3/31/17. The program implementers organized the first investigative judges’ mentoring session in Haiti with 15 participants (2 women) and supported workshops in anti-corruption and penal code reform. The program’s human rights team assisted in providing on-site guidance to a judge and prosecutor in a trafficking in person’s (TIP) case, which led to the first ever TIP conviction in Haiti. The program implementers implemented a pilot program to decrease the number of individuals detained beyond the 48-hour legal limit in a pilot police station. This pilot “garde a vue” program decreased excessive detentions by 93 percent and the implementers plan to expand this pilot program to additional police stations. The program implementers have trained a total of 3,470 justice sector actors on basic and specialized skills since the program’s inception in 2011. The period of performance for the Judicial Inspection Unit (JIU) related project grant was amended to continue through 3/31/17. During this reporting period, the program implemented the following key activities: (a) provided technical and logistical support for the eighth inspection of the High Judicial Council’s JIU (b) assisted the JIU with drafting reports for the inspection conducted in Mirebalais and (c) provided technical and logistical support for the first two follow-up inspections of the JIU in Jacmel and Port-de-Paix. INL amended a project grant that provides cross-sector training to police and justice sector actors through 3/31/17. The steering committee met in October, November, and December to review their strategy and develop tools to help police officers undertake their work more efficiently and in accordance with the Constitution. The Model Police Station initiative was maintained and strengthened in Petionville police station, and expanded to Delmas police station. |
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| Enhance the efficiency of the criminal justice system |
* Support the implementation of reformed criminal and procedure codes, contingent upon meaningful GOH justice sector reform;
* Support citizen access to legal services through support for legal assistance centers for low-income and marginalized communities. |
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| Enhance the efficiency of the civil justice system |
* Support GOH to improve access to key civil justice services for most vulnerable populations;
* Support efforts to resolve land tenure disputes. |
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| Increase protection of human rights and vulnerable persons |
* Partner with GOH and civil society organizations to provide for procedures and capacity to protect vulnerable populations and civil liberties.
* Support human rights training for GOH law enforcement and justice sector agencies and personnel.
* Support the development and implementation of human rights monitoring and tracking systems, assistance to victims of abuse, and reformed legal frameworks.
* Train and support the Haitian National Police’s Minors Protection Brigade.
* Support mechanisms to report abuses and public information campaigns on prevention of violence against vulnerable populations.
* Support projects that strengthen GOH capacity to identify and respond to human trafficking. |
* Reduce the number of children being sent from target areas to become restaveks and increase public awareness of the plight of restavek children and the number who are rescued.
* Increase capacity of law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases.
* Reduce the number of at risk children and youth who participate in organized crime.
* Increased citizen confidence in human rights institutions and protections as measured by Americas Barometer.
* Enable the Haitian National Police’s Minors Protection Brigade to cover more than 50% of Haiti’s population.
* Expand network of vulnerable population service providers that offer services in major development corridors of the country.
* GOH ratifies international protocols on trafficking and child protection and creates a framework for their practical implementation to reduce trafficking and protect vulnerable populations. |
* Ensuring the meaningful participation and protection of women and girls in Haiti is critical to achieving long-term development objectives. The 2010 earthquake exposed and exacerbated vulnerabilities among many segments of the Haitian population particularly for women, children, and youth. In a context defined by government incapacity and limited resources, the threat of forced labor, sexual exploitation, gender-based violence and other forms of abuse increases for at-risk women, children, and youth. The GOH has been unable to respond adequately to these threats.
* While the GOH has signed a number of international human rights conventions aimed at combating these forms of abuse, and has also criminalized rape and sexual assault through a 2005 amendment to the criminal code, the ability to enforce such conventions and laws remains limited, due to the absence of implementing regulations and policy and limited government capacity.
* The disability law passed in 2012 caused the GOH to evaluate and close orphanages not meeting minimum care standards; a compilation of laws related to protection of minors was published; and a hotline to report abuse or trafficking of minors was created.
* In FY 2013, the USG worked with GOH law enforcement officials through modules addressing gender-based violence (GBV) included in the USG’s training program for HNP and judiciary personnel, and prioritization recruitment of female police cadets in INL’s HNP training programs and funded overseas training for ten female cadets.
* Public trust in the Haitian National Police (HNP) registered a small but significant increase from 2010 to 2012 (America’s Barometer), from 51.5% to 55.2%. Thirty-eight HNP officers graduated from Community Policing pilot training, instructed by NYPD mentors, and the HNP community policing unit has grown to more than 80 officers. This technique has enabled the HNP to form better relations with local communities.
* In August 2014, the GOH enacted Haiti’s first legislation specifically outlawing trafficking in persons. The Department of State trained judicial personnel on trafficking issues and provided technical expertise to the parliamentary staff drafting the law. • INL funded the participation of two HNP curriculum developers in the International Police and Education and Training Program (IPET) on improving Police Response to Crimes Against Marginalized Groups. Working with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, mentors from Washington, DC Metro Police and Miami Beach Police Department, the HNP developed a new training curriculum to raise awareness among cadets about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community and protection of human rights. The HNP delivered the training module to approximately 1000 recruits at the police academy. The new curriculum has been incorporated into basic training for all HNP school classes.
*INL assistance supported an embedded mentor in the HNP’s Women’s Affairs department on combatting gender-based violence. |
The Haitian government and international community made limited progress in addressing human rights in 2016. Political stalemates, resource constraints, and weak government institutions continued to hinder GOH efforts to meet the basic needs of its people and address long-standing human rights problems. Conditions of extreme vulnerability persist among many citizens, especially women, children; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; and persons with disabilities. A number of USAID-funded activities supported awareness raising and advocacy on human rights issues, including improving protection of vulnerable populations targeting civil society organizations and marginalized populations.
* Haiti’s primary challenge associated with the protection of children in adversity is overcoming a legacy of ineffective legal institutions with inadequate resources and a disregard for protection of the most vulnerable. In FY 2016, the U.S. Government (USG) continued to support activities that contributed to advancing the implementation of the USG Action Plan for Children in Adversity (APCA) in Haiti. However, state institutions, international partners, and local organizations involved in child protection continue to face a severe lack of resources and inadequate capacity to establish proper prevention and response mechanisms to address the needs of Haiti’s most vulnerable children.
* In an effort to address APCA’s Objective 4, ‘Strengthen Child Welfare and Protection Systems’ and Objective 5, ‘Promote Evidence-based Policies and Programs’, in 2016 USAID awarded support for an innovative three-year Alliance for the Protection of Children (APC) project implemented by American Institutes for Research (AIR). The project supports implementation of the Haitian National Child Protection Strategy (SNPE) and works in partnership with the Haitian government child welfare agency the Institut du Bien-Être Social et de Recherches (IBESR). It also works closely with key local partners, including the Université d’Etat d’Haiti (UEH), Zanmi Lasante, Combite pour la paix et le développement, and Restavek Freedom, other government ministries, strategic United Nations agencies such as UNICEF and UNHCR, and community-based and local non-governmental organizations in Haiti. The project will advance child protection to reduce violence against children, mitigate trafficking and forced labor of children, protect unaccompanied and separated migrants, stateless and refugee children, integrate street children into safer learning and care spaces, and prevent the separation of children from their families and explore alternative care and protection services.
* USAID supported the local organization Initiative for Equitable Development in Haiti (IDEH) to help LGBT organizations to better advocate for and assert their rights, including building awareness of the various forms of sexual and gender-based violence and developing support mechanisms for survivors. IDEH implements activities to promote women’s rights and empowerment and advance the rights of sexual minorities, including training on gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Through an INL developed police school curriculum, Haitian police cadets continued to receive specific instruction on LGBTI issues, hate crimes, and the protection of vulnerable populations |
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| Renovate the Corrections Sector |
Build and refurbish correction facilities |
No Changes |
• INL assistance supported the award of construction contracts to build three new prison facilities to contribute to a reduction in overcrowding and resultant security and disease threats to detainees.
• INL funds supported equipment and training for Haitian prison personnel to more effectively manage prisons, vocational training for some of the inmate population, and supported an embedded mentor with the Director of HNP Corrections (DAP). |
INL is supporting the GOH’s efforts to create a more humane and efficient correctional system. To alleviate overcrowding, INL completed construction of new facilities in Cabaret and Fort Liberte, and were turned over to the Haitian government in FY16. INL is completing a prison in Petit-Goave and it will be turned over to the Haitian Government in 2017. INL is working with the HNP to increase the number of officers assigned to the Prison Service. The HNP’s leadership has committed to assigning 10% of the graduating officers from each promotion to the Prison Service. Nearly 50 Department of Prison Administration (DAP) officers visited the U.S. on INL-supported training with the Maryland Corrections Department, receiving instruction on defensive tactics, transportation of prisoners, and disturbance control. Learning from prison escapes in 2013 and 2014, INL continues to work with MINUSTAH and other donors to address weaknesses in the prisons through enhanced training and mentoring of DAP officers. INL continued to provide an embedded expert with the head of the corrections department (DAP). INL completed a 300-bed prison in Fort Liberte in August 2016 and will finish construction of the prison at Petit Goave in 2017. INL completed a prison in Hinche jointly with the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS). INL continued to provide an embedded expert with the head of the corrections department (DAP). |
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| Develop a sustainable HNP |
Provide assistance to GOH’s HNP in training, communication systems, forensic equipment, computers, police equipment, boats, and other vehicles. Support rebuilding the Haitian Coast Guard via maintaining and sustaining the capacity of its fleet and personnel to carry out its core missions of maritime interdiction and security operations while disrupting the flow of illegal drugs to the US. |
No Changes |
• INL assistance supported the HNP’s recruitment, selection, and training of qualified officers, and growth in the Police Academy’s incoming cadet classes . Since the earthquake, INL has supported the training of 5,713 new police officers, 556 of them female.The School’s 27th promotion will graduate in March 2017, bringing the number of HNP officers to approximately 14,650.
• INL funds supported the development of specialized units including forensics and anti-kidnapping, embedded mentors to strengthen the offices of the Director General and Inspector General, and an expert within the HNP to combat Gender Based Violence.
• INL assistance provided training and subject matter expert advisors to support development of management, administrative, and logistics functions within the HNP.
• INL, partnering with the New York Police Department, developed a community policing program that has grown from 38 to more than 80 officers.
• INL completed construction of the presidential security barracks and six police stations. INL awarded a contract for the refurbishment of the HNP Academy to accommodate and sustain larger recruitment classes with additional toilets, classrooms, a kitchen, and a power plant.
• INL assistance supported a U.S. contribution to MINUSTAH of up to 100 police officer advisors and 10 corrections advisors, but currently supports 22 total UN police officers. . U.S. officers provided expertise in the areas of academy training, field training, patrols, community policing, investigations, traffic, crime analysis, forensics, police management, supervisory skills, police administration, and other specialized skills. |
INL acted as the Mission’s overall lead for coordinating the training, equipping, and overall development of the Haitian National Police. In terms of infrastructure, INL completed the construction of three HNP Commissariats and initiated new projects, including major improvements to the HNP Cadet School. INL also continued to support the police’s recruitment efforts by providing food supplements and supplies to cadets at the school and financing medical exams for upcoming training classes. These efforts are crucial to maintaining law and order in Haiti, as the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) continues its drawdown. These investments will help the HNP reach its goal of 15,000 officers by the end of 2017, as expressed in its five-year development plan. Intensive training increased the HNP’s capacity in community policing and anti-kidnapping. The sustained reduction of kidnappings in Haiti is due in part to INL’s funding of the New York City Police Department’s support to the HNP’s anti-kidnapping unit, as well as cross-trainings on anti-kidnapping by the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative (ABA/ROLI). A fourth class of officers graduated from the HNP’s Community Policing training, instructed by NYPD mentors, bringing the units’ strength to over 100 officers. This technique has enabled the HNP to form better relations with local communities. In addition to increasing the capacity of the HNP in other areas, INL expanded an SGVB module created in 2014 which continues to serve as a fundamental part of the USG’s training program for HNP and judiciary personnel. INL also continues to prioritize the recruitment of female police cadets in the HNP.
The School’s 27th promotion graduated in March 2017, bringing the number of HNP officers to approximately 14,650. INL assistance supported the HNP’s recruitment, selection, and medical screening of approximately 965 incoming cadets who graduated in March 2017 and 1,050 cadets who will start training in May 2017. INL funds continued to support the development of specialized units and provide mentors to strengthen the offices of the Director General and Inspector General. INL assistance continued to provide training and subject matter expert advisors to support development of management, administrative, and logistics functions within the HNP. INL continued its partnership with the New York Police Department and continued to support the HNP’s community policing program. INL is funding the refurbishment of three police stations in Hinche, Tabarre, and Killick through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). INL assistance continued to support a U.S. contribution to MINUSTAH of 22 police and corrections advisors. U.S. officers provided expertise in the areas of academy training, field training, patrols, community policing, investigations, traffic, crime analysis, forensics, police management, supervisory skills, police administration, and other specialized skills. |
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| Assist the HNP to develop an effective counternarcotics strategy |
Support the reconstruction and capacity building of the HNP Counternarcotics forces to combat the corrosive effects of narcotics trafficking and corruption of the government and its officials while disrupting the flow of illegal drugs to the US. |
No Changes |
• Assistance supported the deployment of HNP Counternarcotics Unit (BLTS) officers to strategic points throughout the country, and provided technical assistance and equipment to further develop BLTS’ capability to effectively conduct and track operations and investigations. Through INL efforts, the BLTS grew from 42 to a current force of approximately 229 officers.
• INL assistance grew the K-9 Unit to 19 dogs with drug, explosive, and currency detection capabilities. The BLTS uses the K-9 unit daily at Port-au-Prince airport to screen arrivals, and routinely in boat and house searches conducted by the BLTS.
• INL supported five phases of beginning and advanced-level trainings conducted by the Miami-Dade Police Department for BLTS officers.
• Assistance expanded BLTS infrastructure through the procurement of modular units, being installed at strategic points throughout Haiti, including two airports.
• The BLTS has carried out several successful operations yielding drug and cash asset seizures, as well as several significant arrests including high-priority U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) targets, and the unit is expanding its presence in affected areas throughout the country.
• INL supported the restoration of port security and maritime interdiction operations by the Haitian Coast Guard (HCG).
• INL supported the HNP by providing a communication network which will interconnect rule of law activities, including law enforcement operations, investigations, case management, and information sharing. |
INL also worked with the HNP to enhance its effectiveness in counter-narcotics. The HNP Counternarcotic Unit (BLTS) received 75 agents from the HNP’s 24th Promotion, bringing its force to over 200. With INL support, these agents participated in an introductory Drug Enforcement Agency course on counter-narcotics. BLTS agents attended a range of other courses, including the INL-supported Jungla Commando course in Colombia and ILEA courses in San Salvador, which will help prepare them to assume more responsibility as they deploy to satellite offices throughout the country. INL also supplied two Boston Whalers which are being used to form a joint task force between BLTS and the Coast Guard to support maritime narcotics interdictions and provide humanitarian support. INL also funded the newly erected BLTS satellite office in Les Cayes. This office expands BLTS’ reach in its fight against narcotics trafficking in Southern Haiti. This year, BLTS has recovered 15.7 kilograms of heroin, 3,321.36 kilograms of marijuana, and 562,000 US Dollars. INL continued to fund a subject matter expert to support the counter narcotics division of the HNP (BLTS) and the Haitian Coast Guard. The BLTS force has grown to 229 officers through INL support at the police school. INL is in the process of completing the installation of BLTS modular office space around the country, co-locating with the Coast Guard where possible. INL continued to fund a subject matter expert to support the counter narcotics division of the HNP (BLTS) and the Haitian Coast Guard. INL is in the process of completing the installation of BLTS modular office space around the country, co-locating with the Coast Guard where possible. |
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| Enhance transparency in GOH institutions |
Support the GOH to reform the l’Unité de Lutte Contre la Corruption (ULCC) to make it an independent unit capable of preventing, detecting, and prosecution corruption cases. Assist the GOH in developing and implementing a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy focusing on financial crime issues including money laundering and procurement fraud, education, prevention, prosecution and enforcement operations. |
* ULCC and BAFE effectively investigate and prosecute corruption and financial crime;
* Criminal law reforms are implemented. A national strategy to combat corruption is implemented resulting in increased transparency among government organizations. Anti-money laundering training and services are expanded to increase investigations, arrests, and revenue generation through the seizing of funds used in illegal activities. Passage of legal reform results in the establishment of an undercover unit to investigate allegations of corruption within the GOH. Prosecutors are selected and vetted by the Ministry of Justice. Investigations and prosecutions of corruption cases are increased. USG is able to increasingly reduce its investment support. |
Since 2012, INL partnered with the Department of the Treasury to strengthen Haiti’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime. Working with the government of Haiti, INL and Treasury aim to improve the efficiency and effective ness of the financial intelligence unit (French acronym UCREF) to operate in compliance with international standards, institutionalize a financial crimes task force, develop the central bank, and establish controls to protect the financial sector. INL supports upgrades to UCREF’s facilities, hardware, and software for electronic reporting, file databasing, user access, and security access protocols to improve the unit’s functionality and connection with external financial institutions. To improve HNP accountability and reform, INL supports the Inspector General’s (IG’s) office with direct mentorship to enhance HNP capacity to perform internal police investigations, exercise effective command and control over the force, and ensure adherence to policies and procedures. The IG office made progress in combating corruption and police abuse, working with the INL embedded mentor and MINUSTAH (also collocated in the office). The Inspector General’s office meets frequently with various human rights groups in Haiti and initiated weekly press conferences to inform the public of the role of the IG office, resulting in increased visibility and transparency. The IG office dismissed 645 police officers and recommended termination of more than 100 more in 2014 as a result of investigations for absence from post, other infractions, abuses, and criminal conduct.
In September 2014, OTA concluded its engagement to assist in development of an effective anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regime compliant with international standards.
* INL’s and Treasury’s work is complemented by USAID technical assistance and capacity-building of the GOH anti-corruption unit and support for civil society efforts to increase transparency. |
* The USAID KONEKTE program helped strengthen the investigative capacities of the GOH’s Anti-corruption Unit (ULCC) so it can more effectively investigate corruption cases through information gathered via a GOH database that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) uses to process budget requisitions made by GOH agencies. KONEKTE’s advisors also trained ULCC’s electronic surveillance staff and supported the installation of these databases at the ULCC, enabling ULCC staff to access GOH’s payroll accounts. KONEKTE’s advisors also helped to create a call center for anonymous reporting of corruption cases; training call centers operators and developing questionnaires to collect complaints. The call center received 300 calls, collecting the information and then sharing it with the ULCC to be investigated and turned over to the prosecutor for penal processing. With USAID’s support, ULCC also developed GOH email accounts for ULCC employees, enabling the ULCC to preserve the institutional memory which is crucial to case monitoring. Prior to the creation of this platform, ULCC employees used their own personal email to perform official business and upon their departure all exchanges and important information were systematically lost. KONEKTE also helped to create ULCC’s online public library center, which contains over 300 documents on corruption and offers training modules on the topic.
* To help improve budget transparency and allow citizen to access comprehensive info pertaining to the national budget, a USAID civil society grantee created a website which provides details on the 2016 national budget. As of FY 2016, 3,297 people had visited the website, and have benefited from the additional tools and guidance provided to improve citizen’s knowledge of the budgeting process. The organization also published special sections in Haiti’s main newspaper that discusses specific national budget figures. They also produced four documentary films and published on their website and Facebook page (as of FY 2016, 2,268 visitors visited the page). Leaders also participated in radio and TV shows to help increase understanding of the national budget.
* USAID supported the local chapter of Transparency International, Heritage Foundation of Haiti (LFHH), to raise public awareness and engage in advocacy to reduce corruption. The organization continued to work with local civil society and private sector organizations and hosted two workshops for the Young Haitians Against Corruption network on the progress of anti-corruption efforts within the framework of the International Anti-Corruption Day. The participants produced an Open Letter to Political Candidates and it was published in the newspaper the week before the October 2015 elections. LFHH also conducted a workshop for journalists on the importance of access to information in the fight against corruption, and the advocacy efforts needed to bolster the adoption of the Access to Information bill by the legislature. Thirteen journalists participated in the workshop and signed an Open Letter petitioning parliament to adopt the draft legislation.
* INL continues to fund a subject matter expert in the Office of the Inspector General’s office. The Office of the Inspector General (IG) continued to take an activist approach to imposing internal HNP discipline. The IG continued to hold monthly press conferences and regular meetings with regional and religious authorities to update the public on police internal affairs and remind citizens how to submit complaints. INL continues to fund a subject matter expert in the Office of the Inspector General’s office. The Office of the Inspector General (IG) continued to take an activist approach to imposing internal HNP discipline. The IG continued to hold monthly press conferences and regular meetings with regional and religious authorities to update the public on police internal affairs and remind citizens how to submit complaints. |