Taking The Stage: Non-State Actors for Inclusive Governance in Haiti

By Lara Vivienne Corpus | We Kids United

The recent plight in Haiti is characterized by rampant gang raids throughout the capital and its turbulent political transitions, most of which have exacerbated the instability that continues to wreak havoc on Haitian society. Currently inaugurated as of April 2024 is a “transitional council,” an interim government backed by the U.S. and led by the inclusive Caribbean Community (Caricom), whose aim is to stabilize and restore order in Haitian politics[1;2]. Although the transition since President Henry's resignation was received positively by local political activists, the council still faces political deadlock and backlash from notorious gangs since March[1;3]. In some respects, the council's inclusive membership is a step in the right direction, but one crucial factor remains overlooked—Haitian civil society and its significance in promoting inclusive governance. 

In Agenda 10 for technical assistance and capacity-building in Haiti, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) reported on the violation of basic human rights, which have repeatedly been denied in the presence of insecurity and the lack of stable political institutions within the country[4]. The document stipulates that the country should aim to “recognize the vital role of civil society” in upholding human rights and to “engage in an inclusive dialogue among all the Haitian stakeholders concerned”[4]. However, these provisions are merely calls for what the state as a centralized entity can do, and do little to enable local actors to take leadership and respond to the humanitarian crisis. 

Haitian delegation at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva ahead of presenting a resolution on 4 April 2023. (Geneva Solutions/Paula Dupraz-Dobias)

In a similar vein, President Préval's anti-corruption campaign in 2006–2007 oversaw the establishment of a semi-independent institution called the Unité de Lutte Contre la Corruption (ULCC)[5]. Under it, a steering committee consisting of 23 members from the ULCC and civic groups was created to observe a nationwide metric called the ‘governance and anti-corruption diagnostic’ (GAC) devised by the World Bank Institute[5]. The process has contributed somewhat positively to Haiti’s political environment today, as seen from the ULCC holding its 39th Conference on Anti-Corruption and initiating legal proceedings against former senators for alleged corruption[6]. Access to the GAC data and the subsequent efforts undertaken certainly instilled national ownership, but the role of monitoring is still restricted to the domain of the state and has yet to be extended to the public.

Moreover, Haitians are also wary of the Caricom-led transitional council’s aims and lack of immunity to outside influence, especially since the U.S. is a major sponsor and advocate of the council[7]. Haiti’s apprehensions should not be dismissed considering that foreign intervention has descaled the country's ability to respond to the UN cholera outbreak and earthquake disaster in 2010. As such, expanding the monitoring mechanism, though not explicitly mentioned in the briefing, can take the form of building capacity and sharing knowledge within local institutions and communities across key sectors. This ensures that action is spurred from within Haitian civil society rather than solely relying on the international community to supply them with the technical skills. Additionally, the briefing notes that “more specific evaluations at the organizational level” are necessary to substantially improve the way these monitoring mechanisms are enforced[5]. Haiti’s healthcare institutions can especially benefit from this with the assurance that medical supplies and technology are adequately managed and distributed, that healthcare infrastructures are enhanced, and that its workers are equipped with the proper knowledge to administer healthcare to its own people.

Transitional Council members after a ceremony to name Haiti's president and a prime minister in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. Odelyn Joseph / AP

All this highlights the importance of ensuring the vitality of Haitian governance by encouraging bottom-up cooperation between various sectors. Based on an analysis explaining how the transitional council can aim to promote inclusive governance, a major way would be to harness a multi-stakeholder body capable of fulfilling long-term negotiations[8]. At present the transitional council consists of 6 political representatives, 1 private stakeholder, and 2 civil society observers to help restore order in Haiti. A more decentralized approach, such as initiating civil engagement among diverse sectors, may be required in order to achieve inclusive governance[8]. Overall, allowing non-state actors to take the stage can potentially elevate Haiti’s long term political stability and keep its institutions tethered to Haitian society.

[1] The Guardian

[2] Deutsche Welle (DW)

[3] Voice of America (VOA)

[4] ReliefWeb 

[5] World Bank Institute

[6] Haiti Libre

[7] Financial Times

[8] United States Institute of Peace