Haiti's CEP Launches Strategy to Boost Women's Participation in Electoral Process
Under the theme 'Pa gen demokrasi san fanm,' the electoral council and UN partners unveiled a three-pronged plan to strengthen female political representation.
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), together with the Ministry for the Status of Women, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and UN Women, launched a strategy on Monday, November 9, 2026, to mobilize women in the electoral process, according to HaitiLibre. The event was held at the Karibe Convention Center under the theme 'Pa gen demokrasi san fanm' ('There is no democracy without women') and received support from countries including Mexico and Spain.
The strategy focuses on three priority areas: communication and information to promote the constitutional 30% quota for female representation; mobilization and awareness-raising through political forums, academic debates and community caravans, including efforts to combat intimidation, harassment and disinformation targeting women; and capacity building through regional workshops and training for lawyers supporting female voters and candidates.
CEP President Peterson Pierre-Louis welcomed the initiative and encouraged women to run as candidates. According to IHSI data cited by the CEP, women make up 50.4% of Haiti's population and 50.1% of the voting-age population. Yet candidate registration figures as of November 7, 2026 show no female presidential candidates, 13.4% for the Senate and 6.9% for the Chamber of Deputies, underscoring persistent disparities the strategy aims to address.