(2021) Sèks ak Transpò ann Ayiti: Dyagnostik Sèks ak Plan Aksyon Sèks
Rezime — Rapò sa a prezante yon evalyasyon sèks nan sektè transpò Ayiti a epi li pwopoze yon Plan Aksyon Sèks (GAP) pou gide envèstisman yo. Li evalye aksyon espesifik sèks yo te aplike ant 2011-2017 epi li vize entegre yon dimansyon sèks nan konsepsyon, aplikasyon, ak siveyans operasyon transpò yo, konsantre sou bezwen fanm yo kòm itilizatè sèvis transpò, patikilyèman Madan Sara ak pwodiktè mango ak komèsan.
Dekouve Enpotan
- Gen diferans ant sèks ki pèsiste nan edikasyon, sante, ak rezilta travay ann Ayiti.
- Sektè transpò a domine pa gason, ak fanm ki pa reprezante ase kòm konsomatè, founisè, ak moun k ap pran desizyon.
- Sèvis transpò ak envèstisman nan enfrastrikti ki sansib pou sèks maksimize benefis yo epi amelyore sekirite.
- Madan Sara jwe yon wòl vital nan mache travay lokal Ayiti a ak bezwen transpò espesifik.
- Fanm yo fè fas ak defi sekirite pèsonèl pandan y ap vwayaje, tankou vyolans ki baze sou sèks.
Deskripsyon Konple
Nòt teknik sa a bay yon dyagnostik sèks nan sektè transpò nan Ayiti epi li prezante yon plan aksyon sèks (GAP) pou envèstisman Bank Entèameriken Devlopman (BID). Rapò a evalye diferans sèks nan edikasyon, sante, ak rezilta travay, epi li evalye siksè entèvansyon ki vize sèks yo te aplike ant 2011 ak 2017. GAP la vize gide envèstisman BID nan sektè transpò Ayiti a lè li konsepsyalize ak desine operasyon ki sansib pou sèks. Li konsantre sou bezwen fanm yo kòm itilizatè sèvis transpò, ak atansyon espesifik sou Madan Sara (MS) ak pwodiktè mango ak komèsan lokal yo (MPT). Rapò a egzamine tou entèvansyon sèks nan sektè transpò Ayiti a, tankou Pwogram Egalite Fanm ak Gason (EFH) ak Entegrasyon Sèks, VIH/SIDA ak Premye Swen nan Pwogram Kan Rekonstriksyon (IGHFA).
Teks Konple Dokiman an
Teks ki soti nan dokiman orijinal la pou endeksasyon.
Gender and Transport in Haiti
Gender Diagnostic and Gender Action Plan
Camilla Gandini
Andrea Monje Silva
Pablo Guerrero
Editor:
Amanda Beaujon Marin
Transport Division
Gender and Diversity Division
TECHNICAL
NOTE Nº
IDB-TN-02086
February 2021
Gender and Transport in Haiti
Gender Diagnostic and Gender Action Plan
Camilla Gandini
Andrea Monje Silva
Pablo Guerrero
Editor:
Amanda Beaujon Marin
February 2021
Cataloging-in-Publication data provided by the
Inter-American Development Bank
Felipe Herrera Library
Gandini, Camilla.
Gender and transport in Haiti: gender diagnostic and gender action plan / Camilla
Gandini, Andrea Monje Silva, Pablo Guerrero; editor, Amanda Beaujon Marin.
p. cm. — (IDB Technical Note ; 2086)
Includes bibliographic references.
1. Women-Transportation-Haiti. 2. Women construction workers-Haiti. 3. Women-
Violence against-Haiti-Prevention. 4. Gender mainstreaming-Haiti. I. Monje Silva,
Andrea. II. Guerrero, Pablo. III. Beaujon Marin, Amanda, editor. IV. Inter-American
Development Bank. Transport Division. V. Inter-American Development Bank. Gender and Diversity Division. VI. Title. VII. Series. IDB-TN-2086
JEL Codes: J16, L91, R41, O18
Keywords: Gender, Infrastructure, Rural Development, Rural Transportation, Security,
Sexual Harassment, Transport
Graphic Design: Valeria Bernal Carvajal
Copyright © Inter-American Development Bank. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons IGO 3.0 Attribution-
NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC-IGO BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/
legalcode) and may be reproduced with attribution to the IDB and for any non-commercial purpose. No derivative work is allowed.
Any dispute related to the use of the works of the IDB that cannot be settled amicably shall be submitted to arbitration pursuant to the UNCITRAL rules. The use of the IDB's name for any purpose other than for attribution, and the use of IDB's logo shall be subject to a separate written license agreement between the IDB and the user and is not authorized as part of this CC-IGO license.
Note that link provided above includes additional terms and conditions of the license.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Inter-American
Development Bank, its Board of Directors, or the countries they represent.
http://www.iadb.org
2021
Gender and Transport in Haiti |1
HAITI
Gender and Transport
in
HA
IIT
Gender Diagnostic and
Gender Action Plan
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report is authored by Camilla Gandini (External Consultant), Andrea Monje Silva
(Gender Specialist, IADB) and Pablo Guerrero (Senior Transport Specialist, IADB), under
the guidance of Nestor Roa (Transport Division Chief, IADB), and Agustin Aguerre
(Manager Infrastructure and Energy Sector, IADB), with overall editorial work by Amanda
Beaujon Marin (Gender and Infrastructure Consultant, IADB).
The team would like to thank the peer reviewers Raphael Dewez (Transport Specialist,
IADB) and Rodrigo Rosa Da Silva Cruvinel (Transport Consultant, IADB). The team also
extends thanks to Alejandro Taddia (Transport Principal Specialist, IADB) and Paola
Katherine Rodriguez Cabezas (Transport Consultant, IADB) for coordinating the review
process. We would also like to thank Valeria Bernal (Designer Transport Gender Lab,
IADB), Michaël De Landsheer (Transport Consultant, IADB), Laureen Montes (Transport
Specialist, IADB) and Anne-Marie Urban (Social Development Lead Specialist, IADB).
The authors gratefully acknowledge the women who shared their experience during
focus group discussions, as well as the valuable inputs from key specialists interviewed
from multilateral and nonprofit organizations, and independent experts:
World Bank (WB)
: Malaika Becoulet (Transport Specialist), Barbara Cohello (Agriculture
and Gender Specialist), Christophe Grosjean (Agriculture Specialist), Maria Deborah
Kim (Private Sector Specialist), Peter Lafer (Senior Social Development Specialist),
Emilie Perge (Country Economist), Aude-Sophie Rodella (Senior Economist), Raju Singh
(Program Leader) and Franck Taillandier (Senior Transport Specialist).
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): Gilles Mori (Transport Specialist), Luana
Ozemela (Gender Specialist), Manuel Pastor (Transport Consultant), Lina Salazar
(Agriculture Specialist), Paolo de Salvo (Agriculture Specialist) and Soraya Senosier
(Gender and Safeguards Specialist).
United States Agency for International Development (USAID):
Lovesun Parent
(Gender Advisor).
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women
(UNWOMEN):
Liliana Pardo Guerrero (M&E Specialist).
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):
Rita Sciarra (Head of Unit).
Techno-Serve:
James Obarowsky (Country Director).
Konesans Fanmi:
Marie Antoinette Toureau (Director – Gender Specialist).
Independent Experts:
Sandra Jean-Gilles (Gender Specialist), Michele Romulus (Gender
Specialist) and Michel Vallée (Transport Specialist).
Contents
Abbreviations and Acronyms..............................................................................................5
Introduction..............................................................................................................................7
Rationale....................................................................................................................................7
Methodology ............................................................................................................................8
Haiti Gender Assessment.....................................................................................................9
Legal and Institutional Framework for Gender Equality.......................................... 10
Access and Quality of Education and Health................................................................ 10
Economic Opportunities and Labor Market.................................................................. 11
Agency and Gender Roles....................................................................................................12
Recommendations .................................................................................................................12
Gender Interventions in Haiti’s Transport Sector........................................................ 15
The Women and Men Equality Program (EFH)............................................................. 17
The Integration of Gender, HIV/AIDS & First Aid in Reconstruction Campsites
Program (IGHFA)......................................................................................................................26
Other Initiatives.......................................................................................................................33
Qualitative Resources for the Development of Haiti’s Transport Gender
Action Plan...............................................................................................................................35
Focus Groups with Madan Sara and Women in the Mango Value Chain ...........36
In-depth Interviews with Key Actors Working in Haiti.............................................. 45
Gender Action Plan for Haiti’s Transport Sector.......................................................... 51
Focus 1: Improve the Transport Sector’s Gender Knowledge .................................52
Focus 2: Invest in Productivity Corridors........................................................................ 54
Focus 3: Focus on Women as Transport Service Users.............................................. 55
Focus 4: Support Women’s Access to Credit................................................................ 57
Focus 5: Strengthen Women’s Personal Security........................................................ 58
Focus 6: Improve Accessibility to Health Care Services through Transport
Infrastructure...........................................................................................................................59
Conclusions and Recommendations...............................................................................61
The Haitian Gender and Transport Agenda................................................................... 61
Recommendations: Areas of Intervention to Promote the Haitian Gender and
Transport Agenda...................................................................................................................64
References.................................................................................................................................68
Annexes......................................................................................................................................70
Annex I - Madan Sara FGs Questionnaires..................................................................... 70
Annex II – Mango Producers and Traders FGs Questionnaire. ................................71
Annex III - Questionnaire for Gender Specialists......................................................... 72
Annex IV- Questionnaire for Transport Specialists..................................................... 73
Annex V - Questionnaire for Agricultural/Rural Development Specialists. .......74
Annex VI - Gender Action Plan for the Haitian Transport Sector (2021-2026). ..75
51 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Abbreviations and Acronyms
AGI Adolescent Girl Initiative
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AP Action Plan
CBO Community-based organization
CIDA Canadian International Development Agency
CSO Civil Society Organizations
EFH Women and Men Equality Program
EU European Union
GA Gender Assessment
GAP Gender Action Plan
GBV Gender-Based Violence
GDI IADB Gender and Diversity Division
GDP Gross Domestic Product
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IADB Inter-American Development Bank
IDI In-Depth Interview
IGHFA HIV/AIDS and First Aid in Reconstruction Campsites Program
ILO International Labour Organization
KF Konesans Fanmi Se Lespwa Timoun
MA Madan Sara Avion (Madan Sara Plane)
MC Madan Sara Camion (Madan Sara Truck)
MCFDF Ministry for Women Status and Women’s Rights
MDB Multilateral Development Banks
MDG Millennium Development Goal
MI International Madan Sara
MIF Multilateral Investment Fund
MN National Madan Sara
MPT Mango Producers and Traders
MR Rural Madan Sara
MS Madan Sara
Gender and Transport in Haiti |6
MTPTC Ministère des Travaux Publics, Transports et Communications
(Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication)
MU Urban Madan Sara
PPP Public Private Partnership
STI Sexually Transmitted Infection
TF Trust Fund
TSP IADB Transport Division
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNWOMEN United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of
Women
USAID United States Agency for International Development
WB World Bank
WHO World Health Organization
71 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Introduction
During the last decades, Haiti has made considerable strides in the promotion of inclusive
development. Partly due to a global focus on enhancing international and regional instruments
that promote gender equality, Haiti has also developed national legislation to protect women
and men’s rights. However, gender gaps continue being significant in terms of education, health
and labor outcomes.
Since 2011, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) has been supporting a series of
gender-targeted interventions to reduce gender gaps and promote an inclusive and equitable
development in the Haitian transport sector. This report encompasses Haiti’s gender assessment,
and evaluates the success of gender specific actions implemented between 2011-2017, as well as
a Gender and Transport Action Plan (GAP). The GAP’s main aim is to guide IADB investments
in Haiti’s transport sector in conceptualizing and designing gender-sensitive operations. By
proposing specific gender actions and outcomes, the GAP establishes a clear path to integrate
a gender dimension into operations’ design, implementation and, monitoring and evaluation.
The GAP presents an overall plan to support the development of Haitian women. However, it
focuses in the needs of women as transport services users and devotes specific attention to two
female sub-groups, which are integrated by Haitian women engaged in informal trade of local
and regional products. These women are known as Madan Sara (MS), and local female mango
producers and traders (MPT). The decision of focusing on MS is related to their vital role in the
Haitian local labor market and the peculiarity of their work, which has specific transport needs.
With regard to the selection of women working in the mango value chain, the IADB is planning
future transport investments in the Artibonite region, the main mango production area in Haiti.
Mango production and local trade are mainly carried out by women, and roads are essential for
the sustainability and functioning of this market (Faucheux, B. et al., 2014). Understanding and
addressing these female group’s transport constrains could strategically improve the outcomes
of upcoming transport investments and bring more benefits to its beneficiaries.
Rationale
Transport infrastructures aim at improving people’s wellbeing by providing better access to
services and goods, as well as promoting economic and social benefits. Although construction
of transport infrastructure is intended to equally benefiting the entire population, the Haitian
experience teaches that men and women benefit differently from these services. Beyond the
differences that they experience as consumers of the provided services, men and women do not
equally benefit from the working opportunities emerging during the development of a transport
infrastructure.
1
As a matter of fact, statistics across the globe demonstrate that the transport
sector is a male-dominated area where women are often invisible in all three: as consumers,
suppliers and decision makers (ILO, 2013). The low representation of women in the transport
sector is rooted into two main factors: i) gender stereotypes, which define what women and
men can and cannot do, including the idea that women lack the physical strength necessary to
engage in the construction works; and ii) challenges faced by women in combining their mutual
roles as mothers, caregivers and housekeepers with the time and place inherent to the work.
This situation represents a lost opportunity for the entire population, specifically for the female
one, contributing at perpetuating gender discriminatory dynamics that hinder women’s
socio-economic advancement and their participation in decision-making processes. Gender
occupational segregation negatively impacts the infrastructure sector as well, as half of the
productive potential and human capital is under-utilized or unutilized. Promoting women’s
1
The Haitian transport sector is still a male-dominated area where women are often underrepresented, both as labor
force and decision makers. The ILO estimated that, in 2018, women represented only 11 percent of the total of people
working in the transport, storage and communication sector (ILO, 2019).
Gender and Transport in Haiti |8
integration in transport occupations brings several direct and indirect benefits to women, their
families and their communities, such as the provision of a source of income that can enhance
children’s education, health and nutrition, as well as to better represent the needs of all transport
users (Jones, N. et al., 2007). Besides the rights-based equality rationale, narrowing these gender
gaps has also an economic efficiency rationale. It is estimated that narrowing the labor market’s
gender gap can boost the economy of emerging markets up to 14 percent of their GDP (Goldman
Sachs, 2008). Furthermore, women’s participation in the economy at equal rate than men could
increase up to 26 percent of the annual global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 (McKinsey
& Company, 2015).
Furthermore, global experiences show that tailoring transport services and infrastructure
investments with a gender-sensitive approach maximizes transport services and also increases
infrastructure’s benefits, and could produce direct social benefits, including travel costs, time
reduction, and security and safety improvement (ADB, 2013; World Bank, 2010 and 2020). In any
society, social norms, cultural habits, and religious traditions define roles and identities based on
gender. These gender-based differentiations influence women and men’s transport needs and
use. Understanding the gender dimension of the transport sector helps conceiving strategies
tailored to the needs of the targeted population. It also increases services and infrastructures’
functionality, and fosters their sustainability (World Bank, 2010).
Methodology
Between 2016 and 2017, several studies have been carried out to provide guidance to the GAP in
identifying gender transport constraints and challenges in Haiti, as well as analyzing potential
areas of improvement. The studies consisted of both primary and secondary data collection,
qualitative research and desk reviews.
Twenty-three in-depth interviews were conducted among Gender, Transport and Agriculture
Specialists working in Haiti. Other 9 specialists were also interviewed, including Economists,
Social Development and Private Sector Specialists, as they were previously or currently engaged
in interventions related to the three afore-mentioned areas. Interviewees were independent
consultants or working for non-governmental and multilateral organizations, including the
European Union, IADB, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and
Empowerment of Women (UNWomen), and the World Bank (WB). Interviews’ main purpose
was to discuss gender and transport challenges and opportunities with key actors involved in
Haiti’s development. Discussions also aimed at scoping potential gender areas where the IADB
could add value, reinforce current interventions, and complement financing.
Given the specific attention devoted to MS and MPT groups, a series of focus groups (FGs) were
conducted with MS in Port-au-Prince, as well as with MPT in the Artibonite zone. The FGs objective
was to identify their transport constraints and propose measures to address them. The FGs with
women working in the mango value chain were conducted in Gros Morne (Département de
l’Artibonite). Half of the participants were mango producers and the remaining were mango
traders.
A review of existing IADB gender and transport interventions was also conducted to learn
from previous experience and guide the GAP development. Finally, a Gender Assessment (GA)
laid the basis to identify Haiti’s main gender issues and inform the GAP with updated figures
and priority areas.
91 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Haiti Gender Assessment
The Gender Assessment’s (GA) intent is to analyze the gender dimension of Haiti’s main
development challenges in order to provide a background for the GAP’s development. The
assessment will focus on the following areas: i) legal and institutional framework for gender
equality; ii) poverty and economic growth; iii) access and quality of education and health; iv)
economic opportunities and labor market; and v) agency and gender roles.
Since 1950, the Haitian society has been trapped in a vicious cycle that has prevented its social,
political and economic development. Recurring recessions, socio-political crisis, and natural
disasters have affected Haiti’s population and its government. Around 60 percent of the
population lives below the poverty line, and resources are unevenly distributed, with 10 percent
of the population owning 47.7 percent of the country’s wealth (WB, 2016b; IADB, 2010). Health
distribution in Haiti is calculated to be 10 years behind compared to other Latin American
countries (WB, 2015c). Regarding infrastructure, quality of transport and electricity services are
low, only 40 percent of the rural communities having access to all-weather roads and 35 percent
of the total population to electricity (WB, 2015c).
Figure 1. Haiti’s Gender Profile
POVER TY AND
ECONOMIC
GROWTH
- 152nd in the Gender Inequality
Index (2019)
- 170th in the Human Development
Index (2019)
- GINI coefficient of 59.2 (2013)
- Women represent 50.7% of the
population (2019)
- 40.6% of the households have
women as head figures (2012)
HEALTH
- Highest mortality rates in the
Western Hemisphere for pregnant
women, infants and children under 5
- Maternal mortality: 359 deaths per
100,000 live births (2017)
- Neonatal mortality rate of 26 per
1000 live births (2018)
- 75% of childhood deaths occur
before a child’s first birthday
ECONOMIC OPPOR TUNITIES
AND L ABOUR MARKET
- Women are 5 percentage points more likely to be
unemployed compar ed to men (16% vs 11%, respectively)
(2017)
- 53% of women's time is dedicated to domestic work
- Women move 80% of the informal market
- 3 out of 4 wo men are employed in the informal mark et
and in low wage jobs
- Business’ informality is the main obstacle to women's
access to credits
AGENC Y
- Women's share of ministerial positions: 20% (2017)
- National parliament seats held by women: 3% (2017)
- 37% of adolescents giving birth between 15 and 19 years
old (2017)
- 15% of women marrying during their adolescence (2017)
- 86,000 wo men live with HIV compared to 58,000 men
- Women are not granted the same land ownership and
usage rights as men
EDUCA TION
- Women have on average 2 years
less of education than men
- Just 6.1% of wo men 35-39 years
old finished tertiary education
- Men are 7 percentage points
more likely to be literate than
women (2016)
Gender and Transport in Haiti |10
Legal and Institutional Framework for
Gender Equality
Haiti has signed the main international and regional instruments that promote gender equality,
such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW), the Inter- American Convention on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against
Women, the Cairo Program of Action on Population and Development, and the Beijing Platform
for Action. The country also developed national legislation and mechanisms to protect women
and men’s rights.
Haitian women and men are constitutionally granted equal rights. In 2012, an amendment to
the 1950 Constitution moved the gender agenda even further, by establishing a 30 percent
female participation quota in public services to foster women representation in public decision-
taking positions. National institutions have been established to create policies and implement
programs to address gender-based inequalities and support women’s empowerment. The
Ministry for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) was established as the main
institution promoting, coordinating and supervising gender equality commitments. The Gender
Equality Office for the Parliament and Gender Focal points in different ministries were created to
mainstream gender equality principles and their operationalization in governmental organisms.
Core development policies include standalone gender goals, such as in the National Strategy
for Growth and Poverty Reduction, the Development Strategy for Haiti 2030, and the 2014-2016
Triennial Program of Investment.
Despite considerable efforts, a weak judicial system and the lack of institutional capacity in
the implementarion of these measures, paired with socio-cultural norms that perpetuate
discriminatory practices among girls and women, still hinder the advancement of Haitian
women. Laws criminalizing rape and domestic violence were enacted in 2005 and often times
law enforcement lag behind, leading to a vicious cycle where victims are blamed for abuses and
rape, facing further re-victimization.
Access and Quality of Education and
Health
Education
Women have on average 2 years less of education than men and only 6.1 percent of women
between 35 and 39 years old finished their tertiary education, compared with 11.8 percent of
men (WB, 2015c). Adult women are also more likely to be illiterate, and adult men are 10 percent
points more likely to be literate than adult women (Idem). Besides formal education, there is a
need of developing vocational and life skills trainings that focus on building women’s technical
and soft skills that can be used in a specific occupation or domain. Disaster-risk management
skills and coping mechanisms related to natural disasters are also among the main priorities in
the non-formal learning area.
Health
Maternal mortality is among the main challenges faced by the female population. In 2017, Haiti
had 359 deaths per 100,000 live births, 5 times higher than the regional average (WB, 2019; WHO,
2015). Shortage of proper health institutions and lack of services to assist women during and
after pregnancy, including health skilled staff to attend births, continue to put women and their
children’s life in danger.
111 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Economic Opportunities and Labor
Market
Despite Haitian women representing 50.7 percent of the population, as well as being the head
of 40.6 percent of households, they are 5 percentage points more likely to be unemployed
compared to men (WB, 2019; WB, 2015c). Additionally, three out of four women are employed in
the informal market and in low-wage jobs, such as domestic work, in the agriculture sector, and
in the commercialization of agriculture products and manufactured goods (WB, 2019). Women
engaged in the agriculture sector tend to have lower education and incomes than men (Coello
et al., 2011).
There is also a strong link between informality and poverty. With 60 percent of the population
living below the poverty line, 95 percent of the country’s business pertains to the informal market
(WB, 2016b). Informal employment might become the only available opportunity and, thus, the
last resort for those excluded from formal employment. This informality is currently causing
many difficulties, both in terms of business’ sustainability, which directly affects women, and
financial benefits deriving from it, which affect the country’s economy. Shortage of access to
formal jobs, unpaid work and difficulties in accessing credits are different representations and/
or consequences of informality. Women in the informal sector do not benefit from workplace
regulations and social protection schemes; they are locked in low productivity activities with
few opportunities for economic mobility and more economic and social instability, as they
are extremely vulnerable to any issue (natural disasters, economic downturns, political issues,
etc.). Business’ informality is the main obstacle to access credits and remains among the
main factors hindering women’s business development. Despite the existence of microcredit
institutions and the promotion of pioneering programs piloted by a few banks in the country
to support access to credits for informal works, interest rates are extremely high and women
have difficulties accessing them or fall behind in repaying when they subscribe to these credits.
2
Additionally, multilateral development banks (MDBs), including the IADB and its Multilateral
Investment Fund (MIF), tend to promote access to credit among formal enterprises, leaving
behind the biggest part of the real Haitian work market.
Women’s time availability is also a major obstacle to their economic development. More than
half of women’s time is primarily dedicated to domestic work (53 percent), including care
activities and household chores. Even if domestic work is essential to the functioning of society
and economy for any member of a given society, women carry the heaviest burden by spending
twice the time in domestic activities compared to men (respectively 28 and 12 hours per week)
(UNDP, 2015). Women’s time poverty has negatively impacted their participation in economic
activities. Devoting most of their time to care and household chores, women’s remaining time
for income generating activities is limited.
Gender occupational segregation is particularly evident in the transport, infrastructure and
construction sectors, which often tend to be better remunerated and more competitive than
others. During the Haitian post-earthquake reconstruction, trainings and income- generating
opportunities promoted by infrastructure projects tended to benefit more men than women
(PDNA, 2010). Furthermore, infrastructure investments have often disregarded women’s specific
needs and challenges with the subsequent result of broadening the already existing gaps
between women and men, including the economic and employment ones.
2
Refer to December 2016, Haiti Mission and Focus Groups Report for further details.
Gender and Transport in Haiti |12
Agency and Gender Roles
Public Life and Decision Making
Female representation in higher political office is quite low, with women occupying 11.1
percent of national parliament seats and 20 percent of ministerial level positions (WB, 2019).
3
This is strongly related to the patriarchal and masculine social order that characterizes the
Haitian society.
As many other countries in different regions of the world, this data shows a society that is
still lagging behind in properly recognizing the importance of women’s role and position in
both public and private spheres. Representation of women in public positions does not only
influence the society’s perception towards a woman’s critical public role, but also influences her
perception in many other domains as well, including the domestic and working spheres, as well
as in female versus male relation. It also fosters a more positive self-perception among women.
According to some studies, representation of women in public positions is correlated with the
implementation of social public policies that greater benefit women, children and vulnerable
groups (Chattopadhyay and Duflo, 2004).
Land Rights
Due to customary law that still favors men in detriment of women, the latter are not granted the
same land ownership and usage rights as men, and they rarely own land.
Fertility
Adolescent pregnancy is also a great challenge in the Haitian society as there are 44 births per
1,000 women from ages 15–19, and 17 percent of women marrying during their adolescence,
compared with 2 percent of men (WB, 2019; WB, 2015c).
Gender-based Violence
Gender-based violence (GBV) prevalence, which tends to increase in emergency situations,
such as natural disasters, is high; 27 percent of Haitian women reported having experienced
physical violence and 13 percent sexual violence, from the age of 15 (UNFPA, 2016). GBV is among
the gender priorities in the transport sector, as women often face numerous personal security
challenges while travelling, including armed and personal attacks that can exacerbate into
physical violence and rape.
Recommendations
Gender technical assistance at governmental
level
• Support gender mainstreaming in public policies, projects and programs related to
poverty alleviation, education, health and economic opportunities;
• Assist MCFDF, Gender Equality Office and gender focal points in the development of
gender policies, action plans, indicators and their implementation and supervision;
• Incorporate gender analysis and actions in the design, and monitoring and evaluation of
governmental programs;
• Improve technical skills to develop sex-disaggregated indicators, especially those related
to labor market and GBV.
3
28.7 percent is the regional average of female parliament seats and 21.9 percent of female ministerial level positions.
131 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Poverty
• Provide technical and financial support to design poverty alleviation strategies tailored
to assist the most at-risk population such as female-headed households, adolescent
mothers, and out of school youth;
• Establish social safety network programs to assist single parents and provide tailored
financial contributions to larger families;
• Strengthen the administration of social safety funds to make sure that the target
population receives the required assistance.
Education
• Target girls’ weak educational outcomes fostering knowledge dissemination on best
practices in gender-responsive early grade participation;
• Support gender-responsive educational opportunities and skills-building for out of school
girls and boys;
• Provide “second chance” learning programs improving quality and quantity of vocational
training and work force development, which include life skills components;
• Strengthen public and private collaboration by linking the educational system’s “second
chance learning” to available employment opportunities;
• Increase parental engagement in students’ education.
Health
• Review health policies and plans to incorporate gender-sensitive objectives, actions and
indicators;
• Train healthcare professionals’ in maternal health care, HIV/AIDS and GBV;
• Establish GBV one stop centers for GBV survivors;
• Encourage sex education in school curricula to educate children at an early age, as well as
educating adults to change social norms from the top level;
• Address the norms and behaviors that led to the epidemic of girls’ pregnancy and HIV/
AIDS through the implementation of behavioral change programs.
Labor Market and Access to Finance
• Improve formal employment opportunities, especially among women and youth;
• Set up business advisory services to promote women’s business development and provide
consulting and training on business expansion;
• Work closely with the education sectors in order to coordinate vocational trainings and
work force development programs tailored to market’s demands;
• Develop tailored programs, training and workshops to improve women’s economic
empowerment through business skills development and knowledge;
• Provide micro-credit programs to facilitate women’s access to credit;
• Collaborate with local banks needing to diversify financial products and services, in order
to develop products that address the needs of informal entrepreneurial women;
• Conduct a field study to investigate men and women’s different financial needs, constraints
and necessities, especially in the informal market.
Gender and Transport in Haiti |14
Gender-Based Violence
• Incorporate gender issues, including GBV, in schools’ curricula to introduce the topic at
an early stage;
• Set up community centers to educate youth and adults regarding partners and spouses
relationships;
• Encourage community and religious leaders in promoting zero-tolerance attitudes
towards GBV;
• Tackle male behaviors leading to GBV and provide different ideals of masculinity and
male identity.
Participation in Decision-Making Space
• Encourage a political will from the top level to pave the way for women’s participation in
local, regional and national leadership roles;
• Increase merit-based quotas for women in enterprises and promote female-led enterprises;
• Recognize and reward successful businesswomen, including the informal sector, to create
role models for future generations.
151 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Gender Interventions in
Haiti’s Transport Sector
To date, in Haiti, only few interventions have been developed in the area of intersection between
gender and transport with the support of the IADB, the WB and USAID. Said interventions have
focused on non-traditional jobs trainings and capacity building activities for women, including
masonry, heavy machine operation, road maintenance and carpentry.
In the last decade, the IADB Transport Division (TSP) started two programs: The Women and Men
Equality Program (EFH) and the Integration of Gender, HIV/AIDS and First Aid in Reconstruction
Campsites Program (IGHFA).
4
IADB approach focused mainly on: i) promoting women’s inclusion
in the transport infrastructure construction labor force; and ii) addressing the social and gender-
specific risks related to the development of transport infrastructure and labor influx (see table 1).
Source: IADB
4
The EFH was part of the HA-L1019, which aimed at improving the Haitian Southwest Departments roads through the:
i) promotion of female trainings on the utilization of heavy machineries, the maintenance of roads and the development
of micro entrepreneurial skills; and ii) the creation of transport microenterprises managed by mainly female projects’
beneficiaries. EFH’s main objective was to create equal working opportunities for both women and men in the
transport sector. The IGHAF was part of the HA-L1079, a transport project aiming at improving connectivity between
different country regions by reducing transportation costs and time, thus supporting; i) trainings on construction
techniques among women; ii) HIV/AIDS and GBV awareness raising interventions among local community and
construction workers; and iii) first aid trainings for construction workers. The IGHAF aimed at facilitating women’s
inclusion in road construction market as well as reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and GBV and the risks of accidents
at the workplace.
Gender and Transport in Haiti |16
Table 1: IADB’s Gender-Sensitive Transport Operations
in Haiti
5
6
7
5
The “yes” and “no” columns refer to the possibility of having used a gender-sensitive lens in IADB transport operations
in Haiti.
6
Transport safety is defined as “…vulnerability to accidental injury (usually involving at least one vehicle as the
instrument causing the injury). WB. 2002. Cities on the move.
7
Transport security is defined as “vulnerability to intentional criminal or antisocial acts suffered by those engaged in
trip making” WB. 2002. Cities on the move.
1
The “yes” and “no” columns refer to the possibility of having used a gender-sensitive lens in IDB transport
operations in Haiti.
2
Transport safety is defined as “…vulnerability to accidental injury (usually involving at least one vehicle as the
instrument causing the injury). Transport security is defined as “vulnerability to intentional criminal or antisocial acts
suffered by those engaged in trip making”, WB Cities on the move, 2002.
IADB’s Gender-Sensitive Transport Operations in Haiti
Categories Areas of intervention
Interventions
sub-areas
Donor
GOH
recipient
YES NO
5
Gender-Sensitive Interventions
for Beneficiaries as Transport
Service Users
Road infrastructure
Primary roads IADB MTPTC X
Secondary roads IADB MTPTC X
Tertiary roads X
Maritime infrastructure X
Air infrastructure X
Railway infrastructure X
Intermediate modes of transport X
Non-motorized transport X
Pedestrian environment X
Public transport X
Vehicle and facility design X
Transport safety
6
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC X
Transport security X
Livelihood support X
Production enhancement X
Marketing enhancement X
Gender-Sensitive Interventions
for Beneficiaries as Transport
Service Providers
Women’s training on traditionally
male occupations
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC X
Internship opportunities X
Employment opportunities X
Safety at work
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC X
Security at work X
Awareness raising on gender
segregation in the construction
sector
Government
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC
X
Private sector
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC
X
CSOs
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC
X
Communities
IADB &
CIDA
MTPTC
X
Interventions
targeting men
X
Social Safeguards
Displacement and resettlement X
Land rights X
Livelihood support X
Social risks related to labor influx
STIs IADB MTPTC X
HIV transmission IADB MTPTC X
GBV IADB MTPTC X
Transactional and
commercial sex
X
Adolescent
pregnancy
X
Child marriage X
7
171 Gender and Transport in Haiti
The Women and Men Equality Program
(EFH)
The EFH was implemented between 2012-2013 by the IADB Transport Division (TSP), in partnership
with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The program was integrated in
two IADB projects: Rehabilitation of Roads Infrastructure for Integration of the Territory (HA-
L1019) and Program for Rehabilitation of Basic Economic Infrastructure Projects (HA-0093).
The EFH rooted its foundation in the promotion of equal and inclusive working opportunities for
both women and men in the transport sectors. The program’s main objective was to promote and
advance the inclusion of women in the transport sector’s labor force. To achieve this, the EFH had
three specific objectives: i) improving the quality and conditions of Haitian women by providing
them with the technical skills and theoretical knowledge to be able to perform in the transport
sector; ii) promoting the creation and development of female-headed microenterprises focused
on infrastructure to provide women with new sources of incomes and support their agency in
a male-dominated sector; and iii) raising awareness among citizens and actors working in the
transport sector on the importance and benefits of providing equal employment opportunities
for men and women.
A GAP guided the program’s implementation. The GAP identified EFH’s main objectives,
activities, beneficiaries, implementation areas, as well as actors involved.
Beneficiaries
The main beneficiaries were women living in RRITP implementation areas, and RBEIP projects.
However, youngsters and people living under economic constraints and/or with low educational
background were also included among the Program’s beneficiaries. Criteria for the beneficiaries’
selection: i) be 15-25 years old; ii) belong to a vulnerable household; iii) belong to household led
by women; and iv) belong to a household located in a rural area exposed to droughts; or belong
to youth population with problems in accessing the labor market due to lack of qualifications.
Additionally, among the preconditions to access the Program, beneficiaries had to be a part of a
civil society organization (CSO) based in the RRITP and RBEIP project areas.
BOX 1
HA-L1019 (RRITP) and HA-0093
For decades, the IADB has been supporting the Haitian government in
the improvement and modernization of its transport sector and economic
performance, including the rehabilitation of its economic infrastructures for
the development of the financial market. As part of these efforts, in 2007 the
IADB and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), financed the
Rehabilitation of Roads Infrastructure for Integration of the Territory (RRITP) and
the Program for Rehabilitation of Basic Economic Infrastructure.
The HA-L1019 aimed at improving the Haitian Southwest Departments roads by
rehabilitating part of the principal, secondary and rural road networks, including
its bridges, and paving the urban areas of the surrounding populated centers. The
HA-0093 intended to rehabilitate basic economic infrastructures in areas with
economic potential supporting their functioning, maintenance and sustainability
as well as creating a flexible mechanism to fund their rehabilitation. The HA-L1019
project sat under the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication
(MPWTC) and was managed by the MPWTC’s Central Execution Unit (CEU) and
the Technical Execution Unit (TEU) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The
HA-0093 project was executed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
[... middle sections omitted for long document ...]
831 Gender and Transport in Haiti
Train MS and MPT’s on access to loans and saving mechanisms
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 women trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions
Train MS & MPT’s on financial literacy, business administration, access to markets &
mango production, & merchandise trading
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2025
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 women trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions
indicators:
Trust fund to support women’s access to credit created
% of strategy measures implemented
Number of banks workshops
Number of local banks with credit lines for informal business
Number local bank with credit line for informal business
Number of established cooperatives
Number of MS and MPT trained on access to loans and saving mechanisms
Number of MS and MPT trained on financial literacy, business administration, and
merchandise trading
Focus 5: Strengthen Women’s Personal
Security
Output 1: Enhanced women’s personal security
while traveling
ACTIVITIES
Pass legislative actions and promote effective law enforcement to reduce rates of
GBV, including the adoption of the new law on the prevention and punishment of
violence against women
TIMELINE: From 2021 to 2022
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 1 law adopted
RESPONSIBILITIES: Haiti Government
Conduct a study to map hot spots where attacks are more frequent; investigate
attacks’ modalities and type of violence; and identify attackers and survivors’ typologies
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2022
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 1 study conducted
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions
Conducts a study to establish a baseline on GBV cases related to transport issues
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2022
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 1 study conducted
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender Division
Gender and Transport in Haiti |84
Collaborate with the IADB Citizen Security Division to integrate GBV measures in
transport operations
TIMELINE: From 2021 to 2026
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Citizen Security, Gender & Transport Divisions
Partner with local organizations to support measures and interventions to combat
GBV
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Transport Division
Promote structural interventions, such as street lightning, and improvement and
creation of safer public baths in areas intervened by the project
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: TBD
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Establish vans’ stops close to communities and in well-lighted places
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: TBD
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Conduct self-defense trainings for women who travel often
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 women trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions
Train women on reporting mechanisms and available services
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 women trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions
Promote male behavior change interventions to combat GBV
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 people trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Train local police officers and health care personnel on procedures and approaches
to attend to survivors of GBV
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 local police officers and health care personnel trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Support the creation of MS and MPT’s groups to travel together
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: TBD
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
indicators:
Adopted law on the prevention and punishment of violence against women
Women’s increased perception of safety in 4 pilot targeted areas
Reduction of women victimization in 4 pilot targeted areas
% of areas with improved street lightning
851 Gender and Transport in Haiti
% of projects promoting structural interventions to address women’s insecurity
Number of trained women on self-defense
Number of trained women on reporting mechanisms and available services
Number of reported cases of violence
Number established van stops
Number of trained local police officers and health care personnel
Output 2: Raised awareness on women’s
personal security among communities and
drivers
ACTIVITIES:
Train drivers on attack modalities and measures to avoid/face them
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 300 drivers trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Train male population on different male identities and on GBV risks and
consequences
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 500 men trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Train community members on the risks and consequences of attacks while
travelling
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 100 community members trained
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Identify male gender champions in communities to sensitize men against GBV
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 100 male gender champions identified
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Identify and provide needed assistance to existing community female and male
groups to promote advocacy work against GBV
TIMELINE: From 2023 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 50 female and male groups supported
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Identify and provide needed assistance to already existing communities’ focal
points to support survivors of violence
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 50 focal points supported
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Gender & Transport Divisions, MTPTC
Appoint a female focal point in each community to support survivors of violence,
including to report attacks liaising with police forces
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: At least 1 female focal point per community appointed
Gender and Transport in Haiti |86
indicators:
Number of trained drivers
Number of men trained on different male identities
Number of trained community members on the risks and consequences of attacks
Number of identified male gender champions
Number supported female and male groups to advocate against GBV
Number of supported focal points
Number of appointed female focal points to support survivors of violence
Focus 6: Improve Accessibility to Health
Care Services through Transport
Infrastructure
Outcome 1: Improved accessibility to
healthcare services
ACTIVITIES:
Develop a gender-sensitive transport–health study to analyze mobility/transport
challenges related to access to health
TIMELINE: From 2022 to 2024
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 1 gender-sensitive transport–health study developed
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Transport and Health Divisions
Draft a common strategy between the health and transport division to improve
health accessibility through transport infrastructures and services
TIMELINE: From 2024 to 2024
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 1 common strategy between the health and transport division
drafted
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Transport and Health Divisions
Construct/rehabilitate transport infrastructure to facilitate health access
TIMELINE: From 2024 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 20% of transport infrastructure
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Transport Division
Integrate services to facilitate health access in transport operations
TIMELINE: From 2024 to 2026
TARGET: Base: 0 - Goal: 20% of services to facilitate health access in transport operations
integrated
RESPONSIBILITIES: IADB Transport and Health Divisions
indicators:
% of transport infrastructures constructed/rehabilitated to facilitate health access
% of transport services conceived to facilitate health access
871 Gender and Transport in Haiti
HA
IIT