Paradise is Over-Booked (Land Tenure's Impact on Human Rights and Development)

  • Posted on: 15 April 2015
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Below is an excellent Foreign Policy article by Jacob Kushner explaining how Haiti's unclear land tenure policies undermine investment and cause displacement on Ile a Vache. While the article focuses on one small island, these issues are playing out throughout the entire country.  Improving the climate for investment and human rights requires high-level committment for addressing one of the most politically sensitive issues in Haiti.  The full article follows.

  

More than 230,000 Haitian Children to Benefit from Improved Schooling

  • Posted on: 10 November 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf
The World Bank finalized a $24 million grant to Haiti that will help 230,000 children attend schools and receive quality education through tuition waivers and other forms of support. While the Haitian Constitution states children have the right to an education, the vast majority of schools are private and charge fees. Even with public schools, the cost of uniforms can be prohibitive.  More information on the "Education for All" program is available here.  The full announcement follows. 

Young Haitians Flip the Script with Instagram

  • Posted on: 20 October 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Haiti is more than the sum of its problems. In reality, much of the country - art, scenery, people - is beautiful.  Below is an interesting Beta Fusion Article by Tim Rogers about young Haitians using Instagram to show others the beauty of their country.  Instagram gives people a chance to post the aspects of Haiti that they know, appreciate, and would like to share with others.  Please feel free to share links to other sites with Haiti-related photography.  

World Bank Pledges $50 Million for Water and Sanitation in Haiti

  • Posted on: 10 October 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

The World Bank recently pledged $50 million for water and sanitation programs in Haiti.  The funding will cover all clinics and schools in rural areas that are considered hot-spots for cholera.  Haiti is one of a small number of countries in which sanitation deteriorated over the last twenty-five years. Investing in water and sanitation is essential for promoting public health.  More information follows:

Carnival Cruise Lines Plans to Build Cruise Port at Ile de la Tortue

  • Posted on: 6 August 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Below is an article by David McFadden (Associated Press) concerning the planned development of a port on the Ile de la Tortue north of Port de Paix.  The island, poorer than most other parts of Haiti, would certainly benefit from the jobs that could potentially come with the port.  The main livelihood opportunities at present involve drug smuggling and construction of boats for fishing and/or smuggling.  This, along with international flights, opens up new possibilities for tourism in northern Haiti.

American Airlines to Offer Daily, Direct Flights to Cap Haïtien

  • Posted on: 1 August 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

American Airlines will become the first major carrier to offer daily, direct flights to Cap Haitian.  The combination of historic sites and beaches might prove a draw for both the Haitian Diaspora and those interested in visiting Haiti without having to transfer through Port-au-Prince. Growing the tourism industry in Haiti will take time - but having the option of flighting in through the north certainly helps.    

U.S. State Department Releases 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report

  • Posted on: 7 July 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Last month, the U.S. State Department released the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report.  As in previous years, the report noted serious shortcomings in the Haitian government's efforts to prevent and respond to human trafficking.  There is some good news, though - in 2014 the Haitian government enacted a law to criminalize human trafficking which is a welcome and much-needed step.  The country narrative for Haiti follows below.  

IOM Reports 92 Percent Decrease in Number of Households Living in Camps

  • Posted on: 6 July 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Solutions to displacement take time, coordination and resources.  According to a recent update by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the total number of households living in camps has decreased by 92 percent compared to four and a half years ago. The government-led rental subsidy program, supported by IOM and donors, has been instrumental in helping households transition.  For more information, view the full report.  

New Dominican Nationality Law Will Aid Some of the DR's Stateless

  • Posted on: 23 May 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

The government of the Dominican Republic recently passed a nationality law which, by no means perfect, represents a step forward in addresssing statelessness.  The main difficulty now lies in its full implementation across the country.  Below is an article by Associated Press writers Ezequiel Abiu Lopez and Danica Coto that notes both positive and negative reactions to the nationality law.   

"Papa Machete": Short Film on Haitian Machete Fighting

  • Posted on: 21 May 2014
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

In Haiti, machetes are ubiquitous and versatile.  As Arielle Castro notes below, they are also the "Excalibur of the Caribbean".  In the case of Haiti, machetes were common weapons in the struggle for independence.  The short film, "Papa Machete", revolves around a Haitian machete-fighting instructor who lives and practices outside of Jacmel. The film producers have also launched a Kickstarter campaign to construct a new training facility.  More information on the history of Haitian machete fighting is available here.

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