(2017) Evalyasyon USAID/Ayiti sou Jèn yo 2016

1 Contract No.: AID-521-TO-16-00004 February, 2017 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development.It was prepared by LOGIK. USAID/HAITI YOUTH ASSESSMENT 2016 Contract No.: AID-521-0-16-00 USAID/HAITI YOUTH ASSESSMENT 2016 i USAID/Haiti Youth Assessment Report 2016 This publication was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development under Contract Number AID-521 -O-16-00030. It was prepared by Henry Wallice Charles, Rachelle Cassagnol, Carole Sassine, Nephtaly Andoney Pierre-Louis, Fabiola Rosier through LOGIK. Imp lemented by: LOGIK 6, Impasse Hardy, Juvenat, Petion-Ville, Haiti info@logik-ht.com Disclaimer : The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. ii iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................................ iv Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................................. vi Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................................. vii Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 1 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Assessment Purpose and Scope ............................................................................................................. 4 1.2 Situation of Youth .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 Global Context ................................................................................................................................ 4 1.2.2 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................ 5 1.2.3 Haiti: Demographic, Economic and Social Profile .......................................................................... 7 II. Assessment methodology ........................................................................................................................... 10 III. Findings ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Issue Rating and Problem Analysis ....................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Findings from Literature review, Key Informant Interviews and Focus Groups .................................. 15 3.2.1 Youth perception of the Haiti’s youth development landscape ........................................................ 15 3.3 Critical Issues ........................................................................................................................................ 16 3.3.1 Democracy and Governance ........................................................................................................ 16 3.3.2 Youth Economic opportunities ..................................................................................................... 18 3.3.3 Education and Training ................................................................................................................ 19 3.3.4 Social Support Systems ................................................................................................................ 21 3.3.5 Health and Well-Being ................................................................................................................. 23 3.3.6 Gender Equity and Positive Youth Development. ........................................................................ 26 3.3.7 Juvenile Justice, Crime and Violence............................................................................................ 27 3.3.8 The Environment and Climate Change......................................................................................... 28 3.3.9 Policy Environment ...................................................................................................................... 28 IV. RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 30 4.1 Develop an Integrated Youth Development Policy for Haiti ................................................................ 30 iv 4.2 Formulate an Action Plan and Implementation strategy for the Integrated Youth Policy .................. 31 4.3 Strengthen the institutional arrangements for youth development in Haiti ...................................... 32 4.4 Support young people active participation in Haiti Democratic and Governance processes ............. 32 4.5 Facilitate the Economic Empowerment of Haitian Youth .................................................................... 34 4.5.1 Develop a Comprehensive National Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy for Haiti ........................ 34 4.5.2 Promote Youth Skills for Inclusive Economic Growth .................................................................. 35 4.5.3 Enhance Youth Employment and Employability .......................................................................... 35 4.6 Provide Young people with quality education and training opportunities .......................................... 36 4.7 Build Social capital and Strengthen Youth Resilience .......................................................................... 37 4.8 Improve youth Health and Well-Being ................................................................................................. 37 4.9 Empower Haitian Young People in the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence ................................... 38 4.10 Minimize the Impact of Crime and Violence on Young People............................................................ 39 4.11 Support Youth Action on Climate Change and Environmental Awareness ......................................... 39 V. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 40 Annex A: List of Key Informants interviewed.................................................................................................... 41 Annex B: Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 43 ANNEX C: Key Informant Interview Protocol.................................................................................................... 50 Annex D: Focus Group Discussion Guide ........................................................................................................... 55 Annex E: Problem Rating and Ranking Assessment Tool ................................................................................... 58 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: THE AGE PYRAMID .................................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 2: HAITIAN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION BY PLACE OF RESIDENCE ............................................................ 7 Figure 3: INCREASE in school enrollment between 2010-2011 and 2013-2014 .................................................... 9 Figure 4: SCHOOL PYRAMID IN HAITI ..................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5: GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE 63 LEADERS OF YOUTH-LED AND YOUTH- SERVING ORGANIZATIONS WHO COMPLETED ISSUE RATING AND ANALYSIS ................................................................... 11 Figure 6: ISSUE RATING BY ALL RESPONDENTS (N=107) ...................................................................................... 13 Figure 7: ISSUE RATING BY YOUTH FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS (N=34) .......................................................... 13 Figure 8: ISSUE RATING BY LEADERS OF YOUTH-LED AND YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS (N=63) .............. 14 Figure 9: ISSUE RANKING score BY ALL RESPONDENTS (N=99) ........................................................................... 14 v Figure 10: HIV PREVALENCE BY AGE GROUP AND SEX IN HAITI .......................................................................... 24 Figure 11: SELF-REPORTED STI PREVALENCE BY AGE GROUP AND SEX IN HAITI................................................. 25 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The team wishes to acknowledge USAID/Haiti for commissioning this important assessment and for its support through the activity. We also wish to thank the youth-led and youth serving organization leaders, the youth development workers and the different stakeholders who participated in the USAID/Haiti Youth Assessment. We would like to express our gratitude to the young people who participated in the focus group discussions as well as the youth leaders who responded to our survey. This assessment was a significant undertaking, and its completion would not have been possible without all those who graciously shared their time, insights, and recommendations. We hope that their recommendations for significant changes adequately reflect our strong appreciation of their work and insights. vii ACRONYMS ASEC: Assemblée de la Section Communale CARICOM: Caribbean Community CASEC: Conseil d'Administration de la Section Communale CCYD: CARICOM Commission for Youth Development CDB: Caribbean Development Bank CDCS: Country Development Cooperation Strategy CONALD: National Commission for the Fight against Drugs CYDAP: CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan CYPCC: Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre DHS: Demographic Health Survey EMMUS: Survey on Mortality, Morbidity and the Use of Services (Enquête Mortalité, Morbidité et Utilisation des Services) FG: Focus Group FOKAL : Fondation Connaissance et Liberté FOSREF: Fondation pour la Santé Reproductrice et l‘Education Familiale GARR: Groupe d‘Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés GBV: Gender-Based Violence GHESKIO: Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (Groupe Haitien d‘Etudes du Sarcome de Kaposi et des Infections Opportunistes) GOH: Government of Haiti HELP: Haitian Education and Leadership Program HIV/AIDS: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome viii HUEH: Hôpital de l‘Université d‘Etat d‘Haiti IBESR: Institute of Social Well-Being and Research IDEJEN: Haitian Out- of-School Youth Livelihood Initiative IHSI: Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics ILO : International Labour Organization KII: Key Informant Interview LGBT: Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender LGBTQ: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer MENFP: National Education and Vocational Training MJSAC : Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action MSPP : Ministry of Public Health and Population NGO: Non-Government Organization PADF: Pan American Development Foundation PNRE: National Regularization Plan for Foreigners PSDH: Strategic Development Plan of Haiti PYD: Positive Youth Development SDG: Sustainable Development Goals SSS: Social Support Systems STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics STI: Sexually Transmitted Infection TVET: Technical and Vocational Education and Training UN: United Nations UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade And Development UNDP: United Nations Development Programme UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ix UNFPA: United Nations Fund for Population UNICEF: United Nations Children‘s Fund USAID: United States Agency for International Development UWI: University of West Indies VDH: Volontaires pour le Développement d‘Haiti WHO: World Health Organization WPAY: World Programme of Action for Youth YDI: Youth Development Index 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Haiti Youth Assessment and pertinent recommendations are expected to contribute to the first Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS-2018- 2023) for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Haiti. The main purpose of this assessment is to inform USAID/Haiti on how the CDCS can best facilitate the needs of the burgeoning youth population in Haiti, including increasing opportunities for economic empowerment, civic and political participation; improved access to better quality education, health services, social support systems, and mitigation of the vulnerabilities associated with poverty and lack of opportunity; as well as to align the strategy with USAID 2012 Youth in Development Policy. More specifically, the Haiti Youth Assessment sought to accomplish the following:  provide an overview of the status of youth in Haiti (defined here as aged 10-29);  summarize lessons learned from previous USAID and other donors, civil society, and Government of Haiti (GOH) youth programming/strategies in the post-earthquake period; and  identify opportunities in key sectors in the new strategic period. The assessment was conducted utilizing a mixed-methods approach, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data using literature review, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The report positions the Haitian youth development ethos in a global and regional youth development context. It provides an overview of key development issues in Haiti and chronicles key findings and recommendations for Positive Youth Development (PYD). The PYD approach accentuates the potential and capabilities of young people, rather than their deficiencies (Damon, 2004). Summary of Findings Participants in the focus groups and key informant interviews were very frank in articulating their perspectives on the Haitian youth development ethos when giving their perceptions on the status of young Haitians. Many of them supported the concept of the PYD approach. In this regard, they specifically advocated for young Haitians to be treated as valuable assets and strategic partners in nation-building. Consequent upon these focus groups sessions, key informant interviews, and review of appropriate literature, several pertinent findings emerged. The Economy. In relation to the economy, participants stated that the differences in living experiences and access to available opportunities were complex and depended on young people‘s contextual realities. Young people were economically engaged in various sectors. Their concerns were that of the general state of the country‘s unequal and stagnant economy, which makes it difficult to find reliable work for anyone and even more so the young. There was a weak relationship between education output and employment. Furthermore, the appeal of entrepreneurship is strong but the young people are unable to secure training and funding to 2 become successful business owners. The call is to ensure that systems are in place to strengthen youth economic capital. Education. Education in the country does not meet the needs of all young people. This is the position expressed by all participants in the study, whether key informants or focus group members. It must be noted that the high illiteracy rate is a cause of concern among the differently- abled youth. Among the challenges in the education system most mentioned by participants was with the apparent lack of a vision to guide the creation of an education system that would be both effective and efficient. They spoke about the plans and strategies for reform that were designed along the lines of traditional or well established approaches to education as promoted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other international institutions. The policy makers lacked the political will to transform the education system. They suggested a paradigm change and effective education reform. Social Support Structures. Social Support Systems were seen as essential for the positive development of young people. It was noted that the youth contributed to and benefitted from the different support structures, including the family, community groups and institutions. They were concerned with the weakening of traditional community relationships and support structures. They advocated for an ethos of shared purpose and enhanced solidarity and cooperation among civil society entities. On the positive side, it appears that many young people are discovering the power of collaborative work. They create numerous associations based on their shared interests and goals. Many of the associations are scattered and divided among themselves. These difficulties seem to stem from a lack of training in collective work, in the sharing of ideas and participatory planning of activities. They requested training and funding to support activities that would contribute to the cohesion among youth associations. Health and well-being. Health is a concern for the participants because healthcare is not accessible to all in the country. The high costs of health care to individuals and families and the seemingly insufficient health care facilities in the country pose challenges to health and well-being. The vulnerable economic climate creates tensions that are aggravated by the sporadic explosions of violence that affect the population‘s mental health and general well-being. Haitian youth are disproportionately affected by the challenges in healthcare. Sexual and reproductive health is one of the priority health issues among youth in Haiti. Early sexual activity, insufficient knowledge and awareness, inadequate prevention programs and use of effective prevention methods and alcohol and drug abuse heighten young people‘s vulnerabilities and creating a high‐risk environment for many young people. Juvenile justice, crime and violence. The relationship between the Haitian population and the justice system is challenged by misconceptions, as the belief is widely held in the country that those without the means to demonstrate some link with force or power easily fall prey to decisions of justice that are totally arbitrary with little links to the conventions and treaties signed by the country or even inscribed in the Haitian codes. The views on juvenile justice expressed by participants can be linked to the way the public associates the notions of youth and crime and violence in the country. Most interesting has been the explicit rejection of this association by 3 informants throughout the study. Discussing crime and violence in relation to the situation of the country‘s youth today was relevant in view of the traumatic and disempowering impact of these on the young people living in neighborhoods marked by crime and violence. These in turn would more profitably be linked to economic and political abuse inflicted to segments of the population cramped in the shantytowns of our cities, with zero access to safe places to learn and play and often without food and water. Environment and climate change. There is agreement from the interviews that most young people seem to be conscious of negative changes in their environment but that they lack knowledge of what is meant by climate change. Not only is information disseminated about the effects of environmental changes on life in the country, numerous projects have been implemented over the past sixty years, with the financial and technical support of international donors such as USAID. Yet the subject was not found worthy of much interest by people deeply engaged in social and development activities, in their interviews with the LOGIK team in the early days following the disaster caused in the country by Hurricane Matthew. There were also grave concerns regarding the youth governance and policy environment and indeed the absence of a strategic framework for positive youth development in Haiti. This report chronicles the concerns, perspectives and recommendations of Haitian young people for the sustainable development of Haiti and to provide Haiti‘s youth with improved opportunities for economic empowerment, social inclusion and active citizenship. Above all, the report recommends an integrated youth policy as a guiding framework for the effective transformation of the Haitian youth development landscape. 4 I. INTRODUCTION 1.1 ASSESSMENT PURPOSE AND SCOPE With the current Post-Earthquake U.S. Government Haiti Strategy ending in 2018, USAID/Haiti is preparing for its first Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), which is slated to begin implementation in 2018 for a period of five years (2018-2023). As part of the Phase I of the CDCS planning process, the Mission took stock of existing resources to identify those analyses that are necessary to inform the CDCS design, including this Youth Assessment, which seeks to: 1. provide an overview of the status of youth in Haiti (defined here as aged 10-29); 2. summarize lessons learned from previous USAID and other donors, civil society, and Government of Haiti (GOH) youth programming/strategies in the post-earthquake period; and 3. identify opportunities in key sectors in the new strategic period. The purpose of this assessment is to inform USAID/Haiti on how the CDCS can best meet the needs of the burgeoning youth population in Haiti, including increasing opportunities for employment, education, and political participation; access to basic services, and mitigation of the vulnerabilities associated with poverty and lack of opportunity; as well as to align the strategy with USAID 2012 Youth Development Policy. Youth in this study refers to the Haitian population between the ages of 10 and 29, who are estimated to represent over 40 percent of the general population (IHSI/Banque Mondiale/DIAL, 2012). 1.2 SITUATION OF YOUTH The primary purpose of this report is to present a situational analysis of Haiti‘s youth development landscape. However, it is necessary to contextualize Haiti‘s youth development ethos in dominant and emerging global and regional realities. 1.2.1 GLOBAL CONTEXT Today there are approximately 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24. Ninety percent of this population lives in developing or less developed countries, and the youth population is growing fastest in the poorest nations (UNFPA, 2014). The global youth population represents an invaluable development asset and tremendous opportunity for economic and social progress. Indeed, how we value this asset, invest in and strategically engage this potent force for transformation and development will define the world we will live in the future. (UNFPA, 2014; GYDI, 2016). 5 Unfortunately, young people continue to be disproportionately impacted by several development challenges, including unemployment; poverty and indigence, crime and violence, armed conflict, and poor housing among others. Yet perhaps one of the most difficult challenges impacting global youth development landscapes is the prevalence of describing young people from a deficit standpoint – that is to say, a discussion of youth as a problem that needs to be addressed, rather than as an asset to be nurtured and developed. More recently there has been a shift in the reexamination of the representation of youth. The visibility of various multilateral agencies and development organizations, including several United Nations agencies, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, European Council, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) has been accentuated and investments in global initiatives to support evidenced-based strategic interventions and positive youth development, generally, seem more strategic and focused. Several well-researched and informative reports on youth development have been published with the enhanced participation of young people. These efforts have contributed to several key outcomes, including the existence of a substantial body of knowledge on youth development, a robust international agenda to enhance youth economic empowerment, greater global advocacy and political action in support of youth participation in sustainable development and development of a better youth policy environment; and the development of National Youth Policies, strategic action plans, and effective youth participation models. The World Bank, USAID, and DFID have also made considerable investments in support of youth civic and political participation, youth skills for inclusive economic growth programs, youth economic empowerment initiatives, gender mainstreaming, and citizen security. 1.2.2 REGIONAL CONTEXT In 2003, the World Bank published ―Caribbean Youth Development: Issues and Options.‖ Even while this seminal report on the youth development situation in the Caribbean identified several positive initiatives, it lamented the disproportionate impact of issues and risky behaviors such as drug abuse, early sexual initiation, teenage pregnancies, and crime and violence, among others, and made a case for greater investment in and strategic engagement of Caribbean young people. More recently, several other assessment reports and strategy papers have accentuated the urgency of greater investments in youth development and provided strategic support for positive youth development initiatives, enabling policy environments, youth economic empowerment, and meaningful youth engagement 1 . Many of these reports have not only provided compelling evidence for greater investments in the young people of the Caribbean but have emphasized the economic 1 Among these are the USAID Rapid Youth Assessment in the Eastern Caribbean (2008); USAID /Dominican Republic Cross Sectoral At-Risk Youth Assessment (2010); the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development Report (2010); USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean Youth Assessment (2013); USAID –Eastern and Southern Caribbean-Regional Development Co-operation Strategy (2015- 2019) and the Caribbean Development Bank‘s Youth are the Future: The Imperative of Youth Employment for Sustainable Development for the Caribbean (2015). 6 value of those investments. Indeed, the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) report succinctly articulates some profound observations and strategic recommendations regarding youth development in the entire community, including Haiti. It must be noted that Haiti was an active participant in the CCYD‘s work, with Haitian young people and youth development stakeholders fully engaged throughout the research process. Subsequently, several of the Commission‘s activities were hosted in Haiti, including a three-day meeting in December 2008 to discuss among other matters the CCYD preliminary research findings. In an appeal for youth development stakeholders and policy makers to adopt a new ‗mindset‘, the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development posited ―Youth are in a developmental stage of life. The vast majority is making the transition to socially responsible and productive adulthood, but there is a minority that is not. The first change in our thinking must be to refrain from using this minority to brand all youth. Secondly, with respect to the minority itself, the change in thinking must be to see them first as potential assets to be nurtured, not as a cancer to be repressed. What is really required is more investment to provide them with additional opportunities to develop their creative and productive capacities; While efforts must necessarily be made to limit the negative impact of risk and vulnerability factors, the first line of thinking must be to allocate more resources to strengthen the institutions that should serve as protective factors – the family, the community, the school, the faith-based organizations.‖ Caribbean governments, including Haiti, have in several instances collectively communicated their intention to support a more positive regional youth development ethos, an enhanced youth policy landscape, and also their ―intention to explicitly recognize and clearly articulate the role of youth in Caribbean development.‖ (Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in the Caribbean Community, 2010). According to the ―Declaration‖, Caribbean Heads of Government recognize ―the importance of regional integration in advancing the interests of youth and the importance of the interests of youth to economic resilience and economic integration at the national and regional levels and affirmed ―the right of adolescents and youth to participate in decision-making on matters in which they have an interest and that affect them.‖ The Heads of Government also indicated that young people are valued but under-utilized partners and resources for deepening integration and achieving regional development goals (not only beneficiaries); assets to be developed, not problems to be solved; and a considerable force for peace, good governance and sustainable development. Consequent to this, the CARICOM Secretariat has worked collaboratively with member governments and international partners to establish the CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan (CYDAP). The secretariat has also initiated a forum of Directors of Youth from member countries, including Haiti to provide strategic leadership and guidance to the regional youth development agenda. The regional youth development landscape has also been positively impacted by a re-energized youth movement (Caribbean Youth Leader‘s Summit, 2016) and the strategic interventions of the academic community, particularly the University of the West Indies Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies 50/50 Youth Research Cluster). The cluster functions as a network of professionals involved in youth development research. The main objectives of the group are to help build the evidence-base for Caribbean youth development; foster interdisciplinary 7 collaboration and provide capacity building support to both youth-led and youth serving institutions and processes in the Caribbean community, including Haiti. In 2015 the Cluster, working in collaboration with several regional and international partners hosted the first Caribbean Youth Development Conference at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus in Jamaica at which Haiti was represented. Some other positive initiatives are investments citizens security programs, programs to positively impact at-risk and young people living in challenging circumstances. Perhaps one of the more positive outcomes of these collective efforts are actions being taken to develop holistic national youth policies, economically empower young people and the professionalization of youth development work within national and regional spaces. 1.2.3 HAITI: DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROFILE This section presents an overview of Haiti demographic, economic and education systems. Based on estimates from the national statistics of 2014, Haiti‘s population is approximately 10,485,800 individuals. The median age of the population is 22.6 years and about half of them aged less than 21 years (Herrera et al., 2014, p. 37). Thus the population is quite young and the age pyramid (see figure 1) for the country shows a very large and ―rapidly growing‖ youth base (USAID, 2012). The sex ratio in the general population is 95 males to 100 females (Herrera et al., 2014, p. 36). The ratio of target groups in this study is closer to 1 male to 1 female. The population grows at a rate of 1.71 percent and it has been estimated that ―more than 245,000 youth add to the working age population (ages 10 and up) each year (Herrera et al., 2014). The majority of the Haitian population (52 percent) lives in rural areas. There is a slow and steady movement towards the cities and other metropolitan areas. The metropolitan area of Port- au-Prince absorbs 22 percent of the country‘s population. Other cities account for the remaining 26 percent of the general population (Herrera et al., 2014). Source: CIA- THE WORLD FACTBOOK 2016) FIGURE 1: THE AGE PYRAMID Source: ECVMAS, 2012 and Herrera et al (2014) FIGURE 2: HAITIAN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION BY PLACE OF RESIDENCE 8 In 2012, the Haitian workforce comprised some 4,008,700 people in employment. Approximately 47 percent of the workforce was independent workers in agriculture and 45 percent in non‐ agricultural sector (Herrera, et al., 2014). In 2012, approximately 79 percent of employed people earned less than 200 gourdes per day (Herrera, et al. 2014). The total dependency ratio, an index used to compare the number of people who are not eligible to work (0 -14 years, and 65 and over) with those eligible to work (15 – 65), is 68 percent. This means that the overall Haitian economy will have challenges supporting the very young and aging population. It is therefore important for Haiti to take up the challenge of putting its youth to work, as they will contribute to nation building and attempt to tackle the numerous social ills and bring life and prospects to its stagnant economy. The youth are the most vulnerable group in the workforce because they work under extremely risky conditions. In addition, they enter the job-market during a period when there is a significant decline in economic activity in the urban centers and find it difficult to survive in an already fragile economy. Gender and women‘s rights advocates have lamented the burden of ―double work-day‖ on active women. The concept of double work-day is women having to add domestic work to weeks of 48-56 hours of work outside the home. Haitian young women who have jobs have also dedicated 17.7 hours a week on housework. In 2012, women dedicated more times to domestic work than men (15.4 hours for women, versus 7 hours per week for men (Herrera et al. 2014). There is the concern that the contracted economy has facilitated the rise in child labor especially among the ―restavèk‖. The ―restavèk‖ usually work at middle and upper class homes in urban homes in exchange for access to educational and enhanced social and economic capital. However, many of the “restavèk‖ are subjected to inhumane conditions including abuse, denial of educational opportunities and non- payment for services rendered. A significant number of children flee employers‘ homes or abusive families and become street children (U.S. Department of State, 2016). In 2014, Haiti passed an anti-trafficking legislation that criminalized the “restavèk” practice (Gouvernement d‘Haïti, 2014). However, given the economic causes of the phenomenon, it is uncertain how the law will be applied and whether it will improve the situation. The Haitian education system includes a non-formal sector that concerns training in literacy and post-literacy, as well as apprenticeships in crafts for adults aged 15 years and more. The formal sector of schooling includes (i) early childhood education, (ii) primary, (iii) secondary education, (iv) higher education, and (v) technical and vocational training. At the formal level, it is expected that upon entering the university, a young person will have spent 16 years in a teacher-centered education system, where the pedagogical practices are textbook-based. That Haitian society has been unable to provide a basic education to the whole population remains a matter of the highest concern. Traditionally, the Ministry of Education has over the years repeatedly tried to respond to problems at four different levels, and the ambitious Five-Year Operational Plan designed following the earthquake of 2010 was organized around the challenges linked to: ―(i) the inadequacy and inequitable distribution of schools; (ii) the poor quality of educational services and weak internal efficiencies as evidenced by low levels of academic 9 FIGURE 3: INCREASE IN SCHOOL ENROLLMENT BETWEEN 2010-2011 AND 2013- 2014 Source: Data from MENFP Statistical Yearbook 2013-2014, p.15 achievement coupled with high grade repetition and dropout; and (iii) poor sector governance and resources (human, financial) that limit the ability of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) to carry out effectively its primary responsibilities of regulating, planning, and managing the education sector as a whole.‖ (MENFP, 2012, p. 27). In recent years, there has been a steady increase in school enrollment as illustrated in Figure 3 using data from the Ministry of Education‘s Statistical Yearbook for 2013- 2014. It is estimated that nearly 100 percent of young people aged 10 to 24 are literate; but there still exists discrepancies between urban and rural areas. (IHSI, 2014). The figures from the Ministry‘s statistical yearbook for 2013-2014 show that 62 percent of pupils were of the regular age (6 - 11 years) in Cycles 1 and 2 or the basic years of the Fundamental School for that year (MENFP, 2014, p. 112). Most of the remaining 38 percent would be ‗overage‘ pupils, reaching at times beyond 20 years of age. Figure 4 illustrates the school enrollment in fundamental and secondary education by grade and sex. For 100 pupils entering First Grade there were 8 pupils enrolled in the last grade of ―Philosophie”. Source: GETF (2010) "Pour un Pacte National pour l’Education en Haïti."p.90 FIGURE 4: SCHOOL PYRAMID IN HAITI 10 II. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY Initiating the Process To ensure that the situation of youth in Haiti was successfully captured in the report, the assessment team undertook a series of activities and tasks, including: 1. Drafting and approval of work plan for the project. 2. Convening of several planning meetings with team members to discuss and finalize arrangements for the data collection strategies. 3. Identification of key stakeholder to be interviewed on the situation of youth in Haiti. 4. Session with team members to build awareness on the principles and practice of ―positive youth development‖ and to encourage and facilitate optimum stakeholder participation and inclusion in the youth policy development process. 5. Reflection and review of the data collection strategies. 6. Drafting the data collection instruments. The situation analysis was guided by the terms of reference to conduct a youth assessment that should:  provide an overview of the status of youth in Haiti;  summarize lessons learned from previous USAID and other donors, civil society, and Government of Haiti (GOH) youth programming/strategies in the post-earthquake period; and  identify opportunities in key sectors in the new strategic period. Research Design The triangulation mixed methods design, convergence model was utilized to conduct the situation analysis. The purpose of this design was to ―obtain different but complimentary data on the same topic‖ (Morse, 1991, p. 122). This was the most appropriate mixed methods design for the assignment because there was the need to validate the quantitative survey results with the qualitative findings. The qualitative component took the form of focus group discussions with young people and key informants interviews. Data Collection  Literature Review: As part of the preparation and during the assessment, the LOGIK team reviewed descriptive and analytical literature on demographic, social and economic issues affecting youth in Haiti, relevant country-level statistics, recent assessments and evaluations focusing on youth and relevant sectors; existing studies and reference documents from bilateral and multilateral organizations at the national level as well as documents presenting international best practices and global experience with youth programming at the global and regional levels. See Annex B (Bibliography for a list of all of the sources used). 11  Individual Key stakeholders‟ interviews and focus group discussions were two of the methods that the assessment team used to collect the qualitative data. These data collection methods captured the voices of the major youth development stakeholders, their perceptions about youth in Haiti, and recommendations for the strategies to enable positive youth development. o Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): During the fieldwork phase, the assessment team conducted interviews with a range of key stakeholders to provide diverse insights regarding assets, opportunities, and obstacles currently facing youth in Haiti. Key informants consisted of individuals most informed about specific aspects of youth conditions in Haiti. To the extent feasible within the limited time, Key Informants included youth leaders, government officials, and stakeholders working with youth in education, health, economy, peace building. A semi-structured KII guide (Annex C) was used during meetings with informants to ensure the consistency of questions. Key informant interviews included a sample of respondents from the public, private, civil society, and donor sectors. A list of key informants can be found in Annex A. o Focus Groups (FGs): The team worked with the youth-led and youth-serving organizations to recruit youth respondents and schedule over the course of data collection. Particular attention was paid to the disadvantaged youth. A FG guide was developed to facilitate a semi-structured conversation with and between participants (Annex D). A five-person team conducted fieldwork from October 20 to November 23, 2016  Issue Rating and Problem Analysis: The team augmented KIIs and FGs with Issue Rating and Problem Analysis exercises. The ―Issue Rating‖ exercise allowed respondents to rate the level of importance of each thematic area to youth. Since the team recognized that multiple issues may be important, the ―Problem Analysis‖ tool prompted informants to ―rank-order‖ a set of 13 predetermined problems most often faced by youth in the country. The issue and ranking questionnaire was sent prior to the interview with the participants. The Participants The assessment team used a purposive sample strategy to sample young people, youth activists, representatives of civil society and voluntary organizations, government agencies, private sector, and various youth-led and youth serving organizations. The LOGIK team interviewed 64 individuals through 30 KIs and 34 participants in 4 FG Discussions. Furthermore, 63 leaders of youth-led organizations, 11 of FIGURE 5: GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE 63 LEADERS OF YOUTH-LED AND YOUTH- SERVING ORGANIZATIONS WHO COMPLETED ISSUE RATING AND 12 the KIs and the 34 FG participants completed the Issue Rating and Problem Analysis exercises. The FG participants were from the areas of St Martin and Delmas 2 with youth working with Lakou Lapè, an organization that is promoting peace and conflict transformation at all levels within Haitian society, particularly with youth, and seeks to address the issues of violence in the 12 to 25 year old age group 2 . Other groups from the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area in Cite Soleil, Cite Militaire, and Jalousie were included in the FG participants, as well as a FG with youth from 3 youth-led organizations in the South department of Haiti. One-third of FG participants were female. Figure 4 shows the geographical distribution of the leaders of youth-led organizations who completed the Issue Rating and Problem Analysis exercises. They are from 7 out of the 10 geographical departments of Haiti. Quantitative Data Management and Analysis The assessment team coded, entered, and analyzed data with the use of Excel. For analysis, descriptive statistics was the most appropriate measure. The team employed frequency distributions and measures of central tendencies for the analysis. Qualitative Data Analysis Qualitative data analysis was iterative across the assessment; however, its emphasis took place upon conclusion of fieldwork. The qualitative data was tabulated and analyzed using a thematic analysis methodology. 2 Lakou Lapè is building a youth training program that will seek to address the issues of violence in the 12 to 25 year old age group. Gender-based violence, gang formation and development, and other areas of interest to youth are the avenues that Lakou Lapè expects to explore through this program. (http://lakoulape.org/?page_id=149&lang=en) 13 FIGURE 6: ISSUE RATING BY ALL RESPONDENTS (N=107) FIGURE 7: ISSUE RATING BY YOUTH FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS (N=34) III. FINDINGS 3.1 ISSUE RATING AND PROBLEM ANALYSIS The aim of the survey was to identify the issues or challenges that were most important to the Haitian Youth. Figures 6, 7, and 8 illustrate the distribution of respondents according to their rating of level of importance of 10 thematic areas to youth on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important. The findings suggest that economic opportunities were most important to the respondents (64 percent), followed by education and training (60 percent), as illustrated in Figure 6. More than half (55 percent) of the respondents rated ―Health and Well-Being‖ as a very important issue for youth. The least important issue highlighted was crime and violence. Most of the FG participants rated economic opportunities and education and training as very important (respectively 88 percent and 85 percent). Also 79 percent of the FG participants rated ―Health and Well-being‖ as a very important issue. 14 FIGURE 8: ISSUE RATING BY LEADERS OF YOUTH-LED AND YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS (N=63) Economic opportunities and education and training remain very important for youth according to the leaders of youth- led and youth-serving organizations. The respondents were asked to rank-order the issues. Figure 9 presents how respondents ranked 13 problems with 1 being the ―most important‖ to youth. The respondents consistently ranked inadequate education system and lack of economic opportunities as the two most important problems facing youth in Haiti. FIGURE 9: ISSUE RANKING SCORE BY ALL RESPONDENTS (N=99) 15 3.2 FINDINGS FROM LITERATURE REVIEW , KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS This section presents the findings from the literature review, the KIIs, and the FGs with young people, including key challenges for youth development in Haiti. 3.2.1 YOUTH PERCEPTION OF THE HAITI’S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE The assessment team asked FG Participants to identify the most pressing challenges that young Haitians experienced and the most important opportunities for improving the lives of the youth. Challenges The most pressing challenges were classified under three main headings: equity, access, and empowerment. Participants had concerns about equity in the services offered to the young people. This was expressed in terms of equitable educational opportunities. FG participants were concerned that programs and opportunities did not reflect the heterogeneity of Haitian young people. The unavailability of appropriate transportation for persons living with disabilities was identified as a major obstacle for their integration. In terms of access, the youth expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of available social services and lack of efforts to improve them. They also identified the lack of economic opportunities contributed to a vicious cycle of poverty with a profound and pervasive impact on the youth population. This factor is also a contributing factor in the rural urban drift and migration. Young people also identified the lack of technical and professional skills as a mitigating factor in their ability to access the limited opportunities, especially in a society where the perception of a successful person is of one who attended university. Young people indicated they generally felt neglected, disengaged, and disempowered because they are excluded from decision-making processes. Further they expressed dissatisfaction with the deficit perspective of young people prevalent in Haiti, in which youth are conceptualized and treated as problems to resolve, rather than as valuable assets for the country. They opined the prevailing circumstances contributed to several unintended consequences, including youth participation in risky-behaviors. They also felt the private sector was not doing enough to improve the situation of young people in Haiti. “Education seems to be for the elite and not everyone has the same opportunities.” “The challenges are more pressing for people living with disabilities because they have a lot of difficulties to educate themselves and to be integrated into the society.” “It's not the person who is disabled physically, but the environment.” -FG participants 16 Opportunities The FG participants firmly believed they are valuable assets for the sustainable development of Haiti. They accentuated their roles as change agents and active citizens, if provided the opportunities. Young people spoke of their resiliency to bounce back from adversity and urged decision makers to facilitate the positive development of the youth by enhancing their social capital resilience and leadership competencies. Another question asked to the participants was ―How do you define success?” Many of the young people in the focus groups defined success as ―personal satisfaction and happiness at achieving goals and obtaining social recognition.‖ Some explained further that success was ―social mobility and climbing the social ladder, making money and living a good life‖. Many of them articulated that ―success is relative and evident when it is seen by others.‖ When asked about the resources or what constituted opportunities for positive youth development, they explained that human capital was a great opportunity. They spoke to the youth population as a significant productive force because they aspire to make positive changes and create value. They also indicated that to fulfill their expectations they need gainful employment and quality education. 3.3 CRITICAL ISSUES 3.3.1 DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE Human development is intrinsically linked to democracy and notions of governance. Indeed, there is a general perception that the viability of Haitian democracy is contingent upon enhanced efforts to improve the material wellbeing of the citizenry (Gélineau & Zechmeister, 2016; Haiti's Constitution of 1987 with Amendments through 2012). Yet fully functioning democratic governance systems and institutions remain a major development challenge for Haiti. This factor negatively impacts the country‘s opportunities for sustainable development and further exacerbates already fragile socio-economic and socio-political landscapes. Indeed, a USAID (2016) fact sheet on democracy, human rights and governance in Haiti posited that, ―in the absence of fully-functioning governance institutions and enforceable legal norms, Haiti has been unable to provide all it could for the economic and physical well-being of its citizens (USAID/Haiti, 2016). The inadequacies of the governance and democratic institutions have ―Youth is a demographic bonus. Youth is energy, they are result-oriented, and they have the willingness to succeed. Youth entrepreneurship in Haiti should be a big opportunity for young people. There is a need to create venture capital fund to invest in youth initiatives.” -FG participant ―We have the energy and the willingness to bring change but we cannot be responsible citizens if the social conditions are not present.‖ -FG participant 17 significantly impacted citizen‘s trust in government. It is also felt that perceptions of corruption, lack of transparency and public accountability in ―government policy implementation and procurement decisions, as well as the lack of qualified, trained staff at all government levels, contribute to this lack of faith.‖(USAID/Haiti, 2016). In their 2014 study of the Political Culture of Democracy in Haiti and the Americas, Gélineau and Zechmeister examined the democratic values of Haitians and posited that political tolerance in Haiti trended along the hemispheric average although a rapid decline occurred in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake; Haitians remain suspicious of government institutions and display higher levels of trust in non-political institutions; Haiti ranks relatively low in citizens willingness to participate in electoral process, yet consistently ranked high with regards to their participation in municipal meetings. A survey of citizens‘ engagement and perceptions of the 2015 Haitian elections found that young Haitians were less likely to vote than older citizens. However, young people aged 18 to 25 are twice as likely as those over 50 to think that e-voting would improve the election process. The report identified as ―disengaged‖ segments of the public that have expressed no interest in politics, are not involved in their local communities and do not vote, are on margins of political life and have no voice. People over the age of 50 (24 percent) are three times more likely than young people (7 percent) to be disengaged. The survey reported that overall, just over one-third of all respondents (37 percent) rated their involvement in their communities as very active. One in four Haitians is essentially disengaged. The least engaged were older (50+) and women with the lowest level of formal education. The most committed are younger men with the highest level of formal education (Nevitte, 2015). Pierre-Louis (2011) posited that whilst the existence and engagement of non-governmental and civil society organizations is usually considered a universal benchmark for democracy and good governance, there were several concerns regarding the relevance, status and functionality of these entities in the Haitian development landscape. Participants lamented the relative absence of youth perspectives in Haitian political discourse and decision-making processes. They also expressed frustration that their individual and community needs were not being adequately addressed by government. They identified a need for the engagement of better informed young people in political and governance processes and advocated for capacity-building support to strengthen youth networks and platforms; enhance knowledge of democratic principles and processes. Overall, participants identified the challenges, inadequacies and deformities in governance systems, political processes and civic engagement as contributing factors in what they described as a challenging youth development landscape and indeed a weak youth policy development environment. These challenges aside, participants acknowledged the contributions of several international and local entities in providing capacity building and leadership development support for civil society entities, youth networks and the development of legislation to protect vulnerable communities, including children. 18 3.3.2 YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES In relation to the economy, informants at times found it difficult to discuss the economic situation of youth as a group. They explained that the differences in living experiences and available opportunities for young people depend on their age, gender, and their environmental context. In economic terms, they discussed those who work in the formal sector under long-term or short-term contracts, with or without benefits; those who work at short term or irregular jobs; a small group of successful self-employed entrepreneurs; and a large number in the informal sectors making a living day-to-day in agriculture or small street commerce. Participants expressed issues or concerns in terms of economic opportunities, training for entrepreneurs, equity, support, and engagement. Some participants cited the lack of adequate opportunities for acquisition of skills and competencies needed to become successful entrepreneurs as a critical impediment developing the economic capital and value of Haitian youth. Participants advocated for training programs and capacity–building opportunities to increase youth participation in strengthening the Haitian economy. In this regard, participants recommended that enhanced Technical and Vocational Education be made available and Entrepreneurship Development become an integral component of the curriculum. There was unanimous support for strengthening the linkages between the output of the education system and labor market needs. Equity in economic opportunities is seen from the rural-urban rift that negatively impacts the agricultural sector. Young Haitians seek to escape the stigma associated with agricultural work and therefore move to the city to find more ―equitable employment‖. They also identified the general state of the country‘s economy as unequal and stagnant, making it difficult to find reliable work for everyone, especially for youth. Lack of consistent support from government was also seen as a deterrent to economic success. They advocated for an increased role for government in facilitating a more enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship development, including providing necessary policy and financial support. They also amplified the significance of a mentorship as a support strategy. Generally, participants felt that a viable agro-business industry and value-added agricultural production represented a great opportunity for youth entrepreneurship and employment. [Young people] are leaving the countryside. They just need to have a diploma and to work in an office. Most of them feel agriculture will not make them successful.” -Key Informant 19 3.3.3 EDUCATION AND TRAINING One major problem of Haitian education lies with the proportion of overage students in the system at all levels: even preschoolers are held behind because of ―academic weaknesses‖. There are two reasons for this phenomenon: repetition of grade levels and late entries in school. This constitutes a multi-faceted challenge to the system, because these students occupy spaces that could accommodate new younger pupils, and also because overage pupils are more likely to drop out of school altogether (GTEF 2010). Generally, females and males drop out of school mainly for economic reasons. However, in the case of girls/women there are other factors including pregnancies and domestic chores. The financial cost of schooling lies mostly with households in Haiti. Therefore, in the described depressed economy, there had been a steady increase in school drop-out rate (12 percent among girls versus 10 percent among boys) (Herrera et al., 2014). After the earthquake, many boys had to make use of the opportunities for income-generating activities in various small projects that aimed to attract migrants in the cities back to their rural origins. Another aspect that may be linked with the low levels of enrolment and high-dropout rates is the general level of education in the population. Herrera (2014) indicates that nearly 60 percent of the population has not gone beyond the level of basic primary education and that less than 10 percent have reached the secondary or superior levels. On the other hand, illiteracy still affects 23 percent of the population 10 years and older; it touches more than a third of the people living in rural areas and some 10 percent in the capital (15 percent in secondary cities). There is concern about geographical inequalities, gender and intergenerational inequalities in Haiti. The research shows that 28 percent of women neither read nor write compared with 19 percent of men. However, the ratio of school children by age group and sex shows that the gap between the sexes is almost zero for the younger generations (under 25 years) compared to adults(Herrera et al., 2014). Statistics from the CIA World Factbook (2015) show a literacy rate of 61 percent among people aged 15 and over with 64 percent among males and 57 percent among females. In essence, access to education remains limited for households with the lowest incomes. More worrisome, however, is the worsening effect on people‘s lives of the wide disparities in the quality of education (Herrera et al., 2014). The education sector is essentially private, with over 65 percent of the pupils enrolled in non-public institutions in 2012. Payment of school fees poses a challenge for many wishing to access educational opportunities. Girls tend to follow shorter course tracks than boys, and will often work to support the education of their male siblings at the university. A significant portion of the Haitian workforce lacks formal education and the skills required in the labor market. However, there is also uncertainty regarding relevance of the skills and competencies identified as labor market needs and about the quality of technical vocational education and training in Haiti because ―of the fragmentation in a field that is in fact governed by five ministries without any general plan or direction‖ (GTEF 2010). Training programs focus on traditional fields and do not prepare people for the formal job market. Many of private and public institutions are guided by the supply and not the demand for services, 20 without links to modern enterprises and to the needs of the State (GTEF 2010). The private vocational sector represents more than 120 schools with a State license to function, most of them offering programs in desktop tools and software or ―bureaucratic‖, a field that requires little investment and equipment‖(GTEF 2010). Traditionally, the females were encouraged to pursue training, acquisition of skills and career opportunities in activities stereotyped as ‗female‘ professions and generally falling under the rubric of home economics. At the tertiary level, the Ministry of Education (Directorate for Higher Education and Scientific Research) had listed 54 private institutions with some 100,000 students in 2009. Most of the programs offered do not reflect contemporary knowledge based on sciences and technology. Accounting, Management, Information Technology and Law are the most common undergraduate programs offered by universities and institutions of higher learning. Based on anecdotal information these programs are the most popular among Haitian students. “Most established training programs are poorly designed and often the contents are not informed by scientific research and knowledge‖ (GTEF, 2010, p.131). Participants generally saw education as a medium for social mobility. In their view, the large demand for education in the country is positive. However, much of their discourse focused on the relevance, quality, access to, and education curriculum. In terms of relevance, the participants were concerned about the mode of delivery. They cited differences in language as a barrier. One participant spoke to the role of Creole in the formal education system and supported its integration as a language of instruction, wherever relevant. They also spoke to purpose of education and accentuated its role as a tool for advancing Haitian culture and values. Access to educational opportunities was critical, especially for youth with disabilities. The 1987 amended Haitian Constitution provides for the rights of young persons living with disabilities to access education opportunities. However, there are not many schools and learning environments accessible to them and the teachers do not have the requisite skills and competencies to engage them. ―The State guarantees to persons with special needs the protection, the education and any other means necessary for their full enjoyment and for their integration or reintegration into society”. (Haiti's Constitution of 1987 with Amendments through 2012) ―Only 8 percent of children living with disabilities attend school as compared to 90 percent of those living without disabilities‖. -- Key Informant 21 Another aspect of access was that of the representation of women in secondary education, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Some participants expressed the view that gender stereotyping was evident as women were generally expected to enroll in or focus on subjects considered more appropriate for females. Concerns were also expressed regarding attrition among poor families despite a policy of free education. Participants expressed concerns about the effectiveness of teachers in the education system, as well as grave concerns regarding the management of the education system and its impact on the quality of education. It was also indicated that issues regarding the quality of education was more serious for rural youth. Finally, they lamented the apparent lack of implementation of strategic plans. The participants were concerned about the relevance of the curriculum. One participant lamented that the content of Haitian education did not contribute to the development of responsible citizenship, creativity and critical thinking and strongly recommended appropriate reforms. They expressed regrets that technology was not sufficiently integrated into learning environments. They also highlighted the perceived disparity between public education and private education. 3.3.4 SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS Social Support Systems (SSS) are defined in the interview guides as encompassing ―those friends and family relationships, authority figures, religious, sports, clubs, networks, and so on‖. These entities are perceived as part of a system or the threads of the social fabric in Haiti. They are closely tied through norms of system of communal solidarity. These have also been conceptualized by Haitians as a system of ‗mutual aiding.‘ Whether actual kin, simply neighbors, or members of a Christian Church or of a Lakou 3 , all contributed and benefitted from the rights and duties derived from the vital principle of ‗mutual aid.‘ All in all, this type of assistance is often punctual, though sometimes insufficient. For example, many children among the deportees from the Dominican Republic have revealed to Institut du Bien-Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR) and the Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés (GARR) that one of the factors that influenced their decision to migrate was the absence of effective social support systems, due to the death or ―disappearance‖ of a relative or protector or the loss of employment of the family head (usually the mother). There was also the perception that community ties are loosening and there was a call by some participants to redefine notions of solidarity, cooperation and develop a sense of shared responsibility. The major themes that emerged from the data were the importance of family, religion and youth organizations for positive youth development. The cornerstone for social support systems has been the traditional extended family, where one is supposed to be responsible for what happens around the family. However, some participants s poke about the negative impact of single parent families on the social, emotional and economic development of children and young people. Participants also lamented the lack of economic opportunities as having negatively impacted the capacity of the family as a social support system. 3 The lakou represents the intersection between land, the extended family, and spirituality. Geographically speaking, the lakou includes the extended family’s farm property, individual dwellings, and communal worship area. In Vodou, at once a religion and a way of life, is inextricably linked to Haitian identity and the structure of the lakou. (https://sites.duke.edu/lawandhousinginhaiti/historical-background/lakou-model/religious-life-in-the-lakou) 22 Another issue indicated was the lack of effective communication between children and some adult family members. Some participants spoke about the impact of religion on Haiti‘s development landscape suggesting that the religious community did not promote social inclusion and was oftentimes inimical to social change. They also felt the religious community contributed to gender stereotyping in Haiti. On the positive side, it appears that an expanding number of youth are discovering the power of collaborative work. They create groups, networks and associations based on their shared interests and goals. However, it was felt there is much to be done to consolidate the youth movement. They highlighted the lack of strategic action plans, weak institutional capacity, needs to build networks, insufficient engagement with youth population, and lack of trust for strategic partnerships as critical barriers to a more vibrant youth movement. Special groups There is a dearth of official data for children of poor rural families known as ―restavèk 4 ‖. However, it is estimated there are approximately 286,000 child domestic workers aged 5 to 14 years in Haiti (Sommerfelt, 2015). In the Dominican Republic, an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children were born to Haitian migrants and their descendants every year. It was generally accepted that the constitution‘s jus soli 5 provision granted them Dominican nationality. Since 2007, however, government officials have taken strong measures including the refusal to renew Dominican birth certificates and identity documents to these many Haitian descendants. They were being considered as ―in transit‖ and this situation caused them legal statelessness. In September 2013 the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that children born in the country to foreigners ―in transit‖ are not considered Dominican citizens. In November 2013, the National Regularization Plan for Foreigners (PNRE) decreed a ―special path to naturalization‖ to foreigners who entered the country irregularly (U.S. Department of State, 2015). By the expiration of the PNRE on the 1st September of 2016, 136,801 Haitian migrants were officially registered to be deported or voluntarily left the Dominican Republic. 905 minors were deported without parents or guardians just the first 8 months of 2016. Many of the migrants who are between 18 to 49 years old have been living without proper documentation in the Dominican Republic for more than 5 years (GAAR, 2016). ―Often these are vulnerable individuals and families with few possessions. Many find themselves in need of shelter, food and water when arriving in Haiti. The children in these deportee families often speak Spanish rather than Haitian Creole and have little or no experience of Haiti.” 6 The children deported from Dominican Republic are vulnerable to child labor. Those children have limited access to school for many reasons: their parent‘s poverty, unavailability of school in or near 4 A restavèk is a child in Haiti who is sent by his or her parents to work for a host household as a domestic servant because the parents lack the resources required to support the child. The term comes from the French language rester avec, "to stay with 5 Jus soli is a principle of nationality law by which citizenship is determined by place of birth 6 http://www.crs.org/media-center/current-issues/haitian-deportees 23 the border camps and language barriers as they may not speak French which is the language of instruction in Haitian school (Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 2016). 3.3.5 HEALTH AND WELL-BEING According to the Global Youth Development Index and Report 2016, Haiti is ranked 152 out of 183 countries for Health & Well-being and has shown a Health & Well-being Score of 0.451 compared to a score of 0.741 for the Central America and the Caribbean (Commonwealth Secretariat, 2016) 7 . The Government of Haiti acknowledged in its Strategic Development Plan for Haiti developed in 2012 (Gouvernement d‘Haïti, 2013) that one of the key action areas for Haiti‘s recovery and development was to improve health care services. Generally, quality health care is considered a major development priority as evidenced in the National Health Policy (MSPP, 2012) and the strategy for implementation of the 10-year Health Plan focusing on universal health care coverage (MSPP, 2013). More specifically, youth and adolescent health has also been identified as one of the priorities. At the end of 2013, the Ministry of Health developed a national strategy on Youth and Adolescent Health (MSPP, 2014).The strategy is a conceptual framework and guide for partner interventions targeting youth and adolescents. In this plan, the reference is made to the group aged from 10 to 24 years. This plan calls for holistic, synergistic, multisectoral and integrated action. Unfortunately, this strategy for youth and adolescent health is yet to be operationalized. However, there are some isolated interventions that have been conducted by private-sector institutions or civil society organizations to improve health status of youth in the country. One example is FOSREF 8 , Haitian Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education. One of FOSREF‘s target groups is young people from 10-24 years, including disadvantaged youth (out of school-youth, those who are homeless or who have run away from home, youth in prison, youth engaged in commercial sex, youth living in slum areas, and Orphan and Vulnerable Children affected by AIDS). Another example is Volontariat pour le Développement d’Haïti (VDH) 9 , a national NGO focused on youth development prioritizes youth health, socio-economic integration of young people, and development of youth associations. While there are isolated interventions conducted by the private sector, there is generally a lack of planning, coordination and monitoring of services provided to youth, limited availability of youth friendly services and limited availability of reliable statistical data on youth health issues. The participants expressed the concern that health care is not accessible to all in the country because of the high costs to individuals and families, the lack of health care facilities in certain remote areas, and because of inadequate health information in the population. The major themes 7 The Health and Well-being domain seeks to measure access to, and quality of, healthcare available to young people in every country, as well as the level of youth well-being. Youth Development Index (YDI) under the domain of health and wellbeing has included the following indicators that highlight youth health issues during this period: Youth mortality rate, Mental disorder rate, Alcohol abuse rate, Drug abuse rate , HIV rate and Score on Global Well-being Index 8 FOSREF: Fondation pour la Sante Reproductrice et l‘Education Familiale. http://fosref.org/ 9 Volontariat pour le Développement d‘Haïti (VDH). http://www.vdhhaiti.org 24 FIGURE 10: HIV PREVALENCE BY AGE GROUP AND SEX IN HAITI Source: Data extracted from EMMUS 2012 that were evident in the data were the issues of reproductive and sexual health, alcohol and drug abuse. Most of the existing programs are not reaching the young populations. Sexual and reproductive health is one of the priority health issues among youth in Haiti. Early sexual activity, insufficient knowledge and awareness, inadequate prevention programs and use of effective prevention methods and alcohol and drug abuse heighten young people‘s vulnerabilities, and creating a high‐risk environment for many young people. Sexual and reproductive health HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections: Youth is one of the most affected groups by the AIDS pandemic in Haiti. This situation tends to come from risky behaviors conducted by this group such as multiple partners, unprotected sexual encounters but also from perinatal transmission. In terms of HIV/AIDS, it is not simply the youth‘s health that is affected but also their socio-economic status, as they become orphans after the death of their parents and/or guardians due to AIDS- related complications. An estimated 140,000 adults and 10,000 adolescents are currently living with HIV in Haiti. Over 40 percent of all new HIV infections each year in Haiti occur among adolescents, and 80 percent of new infections are in adolescent girls (Reif et al., 2016; UNAIDS, 2012). According to the national Demographic Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2012, HIV prevalence is 2.8 percent among young people between 25 and 29 years old. The risk of becoming infected is disproportionately higher for girls and young women compared to boys and young men. HIV prevalence among young women aged 15 to 24 years is 1.3 percent which is three times higher than among men of the same age (0.4 percent). HIV prevalence is almost four times higher among young women between 25 and 29 years than among their male peers (4.2 percent and 1.1 percent respectively) (Cayemittes et al., 2013). Figure 10 shows the HIV prevalence by age group and sex. 25 Source: Data extracted from EMMUS 2012 FIGURE 11: SELF-REPORTED STI PREVALENCE BY AGE GROUP AND SEX IN HAITI Figure 11 shows the self-reported prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among women and men age 15-49 that have ever had sexual intercourse. A higher proportion of women (12 percent) than men (4 percent) reported having had an STI during the last 12 months. Women are more affected than men and youth are disproportionately affected. The HIV and STI prevalence is higher among less educated youth. A community-based adolescent and youth HIV and health testing campaign were conducted in seven slum neighborhoods of Port- au-Prince, Haiti, from December 2014 to September 2015. Community health workers provided community sensitization and recruited 10- to 24-year-olds to test for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea/chlamydia, and to screen for tuberculosis (TB) and pregnancy. HIV-infected individuals were escorted to the GHESKIO HIV clinic for same-day enrollment in care. HIV prevalence were found six time higher (2.65 percent) than the national estimated adolescent HIV prevalence (0.4 percent) in Haiti (Reif, Rivera, et al., 2016). Poor education, not residing with parents, was found as a significant HIV predictor in female adolescents in Port-au-Prince (Dorjgochoo et al., 2009). The cornerstone for social support systems has been the traditional extended family, where each family member shares some responsibility for and support to their collective welfare. A study conducted in Port-au-Prince found that adolescents living with parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles were less likely to report having unprotected sex compared with those without adult family members in the home (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.26-0.51) (Carver et al., 2014). ―There is a dire need for interventions that will address the multiple factors— poverty, substance use, early sexual debut, and violence—that influence Haitian youth‘s engagement in risky behaviors. The deteriorating socioeconomic and political state of the country has had a deleterious effect on the sociocultural milieu and on the boundaries that have heretofore kept risky behaviors in check‖ (Devieux, et al., 2013). Teenage pregnancy and Motherhood : Teenage fertility is a major health concern because teenage mothers and their children are at high risk of illness and death and because childbearing during the teenage years can have serious social consequences, particularly on educational and employment opportunities. According to Enquêtes, Mortalité, Morbidité et Utilisation des Services (EMMUS V), approximately 1 out of 7 women have begun childbearing at age 15-19 years. Median age of sexual initiation is 16.4 years for male and 18.0 year for female (Cayemittes, et al., 2013). 26 Several participants were concerned about the reproductive and sexual health of young people. In their opinion, young people are at higher risk of being infected by HIV and other STIs due to several factors including social and economic challenges impacting them and their families. The relative lack of awareness about sexual health among in-school and out-of-school youths was also a major concern. Much concern was also expressed about the relationship between several risky behaviors. They were also concerned that STIs disproportionately impact women and members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. According to some respondents, there is a relatively high incidence of transactional sex involving young people. They attributed this to economic challenges being experienced by families. Many indicated that issues related to s exual and reproductive health are still taboo and this negatively impacted availability and access to the necessary services. It was also felt that many young people experience difficulty to access sexual and reproductive health services because those were not youth-friendly. This was an even greater problem for LGBT young people. Drug, Alcohol and Cigarettes use Alcohol and Drug use is another area of concern for the youth. The results of the 3rd school survey conducted by the National Commission for the Fight against Drugs (CONALD) show an average age of onset of use of marijuana and cocaine around 14 years. Cocaine and Marijuana consumption were respectively at 2.3 percent and 3.2 percent among youth at school in 2014 compared to 2.04 percent and 2.01 percent in 2009 (CONALD 2014). Around one-fourth (25 percent) of boys and 22 percent of girls had already taken an illicit drug in their lifetime. There is a slight decrease of alcohol and cigarette use rates in 2014 compared to 2009 (CONALD, 2016). 3.3.6 GENDER EQUITY AND POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. Women are highly visible in Haiti, moving freely between cities and towns, and occupying the channels of the ever-present informal commerce. Their strong visibility leads at times to the misconception that was shared by some informants, according to whom ―there are in fact no obstacles to women‘s march to success in Haiti‖. One aspect of the interview addressed gender equity, including a series of questions aimed at collecting information on the ways that young men and women are affected, as well as the status of the LGBT community. The data revealed the following perceptions:  Persons who are LGBT are not treated as human beings with rights. They are at high risk of contracting HIV and other STIs and the fear of stigmatization dissuades them from seeking information and care.  Girls and women are discriminated against in Haitian society. Although schooling is equally accessible to boys and girls, the family financial situation disproportionately impact girls‘ and women‘s enrolment at secondary and post-secondary education.  Gender issues are rooted in the general culture and religious beliefs and in the prejudices linked to gender. - Males have it as a duty ―to carry the family name‖ and doing so by subjugating females. - Girls in turn are always in danger of being seduced and eventually becoming pregnant – bringing an unwanted child home to the family. 27 - Boys and young men are taught from early on ―to dare and conquer‖ while girls learn to be modest and not take risks – and to appreciate the safest place for them, which is home (or so it is said). - Girls lack the freedom to participate in activities that are relevant to their growth as women, as citizens. - There are few women among public officers. There are several women participating in municipal councils but at the Basic Local Units of the CASEC 10 and ASEC 11 , ―there remains to find even one woman‖ said an informant working for a state organization that covers the entire country. - The situation is very similar in youth associations that are often ―all boys clubs‖. It is not a problem of capacity or motivation – it comes from the socialization process, from roles learned in families and schools. In Education  Girls have equal access to education at the primary and secondary levels but their numbers diminish among university students partly because they are often pressured to succeed quickly.  Learning materials disseminate biases and traditional views of gendered roles.  The lack of dedicated sanitation facilities for girls and women at times causes them to skip school during menstruation.  Domestic chores and the care of siblings leave girls little time for after-school learning and play. In the Economy  Employers target girls and women for low paying jobs and seek young men for jobs with high prospects of upscale mobility. They feel that women are less flexible than men because of pregnancies and parenting.  Being young makes one vulnerable; being a girl doubles the risk: girls and young women are seen as easy preys to sexual predators. 3.3.7 JUVENILE JUSTICE, CRIME AND VIOLENCE The role of the justice system in facilitation of positive youth development is important. There is the misconception that young people are impetuous individuals who need to be disciplined. The participants perceived juvenile justice as punitive, inequitable, disjointed and uncoordinated. The participants were concerned that a rehabilitation, reintegration and restorative justice ethos was not very evident in Haiti‘s justice system. There is a general feeling that the justice system was inequitable and that access to justice was influenced by social or economic status. The participants also felt the perceived inequities have negatively impacted young people‘s trust and confidence in the justice system. LGBT youth perceived suffering even greater discrimination and mistreatment. The composition of the justice system was heavily criticized by many of the participants. They expressed concerns regarding the system and process of appointing judicial officers, as well as 10 CASEC : Conseil d'Administration de la Section Communale 11 ASEC : Assemblée de la Section Communale 28 those judicial officers may not be sufficiently knowledgeable on the rights of children, or not sufficiently sensitive to their enforcement. Crime and violence are considered critical development issues, disproportionately impacting young people. Young people are concerned with the apparent pervasive culture of violence plaguing the society. Among the several contributing factors identified for this culture of violence are the lack of economic opportunities and systematic socio-economic inequalities. There are also grave concerns regarding the incidence of school-based violence. According to participants and confirmed in the EMMUS (Cayemittes, et al., 2013), Gender-based Violence (GBV) is also prevalent and deserving special attention. 3.3.8 THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Environmental degradation is a critical concern in Haiti. This poses a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of Haitian citizens. Widespread deforestation, particularly in the hillsides, has contributed to flooding, dramatic rates of soil erosion, and subsequent declines in agricultural productivity. The participants were aware of the environmental issues that inhibited the positive development of Haiti. Two themes that emerged from the data are that of public awareness and socio-economic status. Participants expressed the opinion that young Haitians were not adequately knowledgeable of the concept and implications of climate change but are generally conscious their physical environment has changed. The participants linked the economy with the challenges to address environmental issues. It was evident that people perceived the environmental issue as primarily a socio-economic issue. Haitians are willing to take actions but there are no adequate resources. The gender implications of the effects of climate change and other environmental issues were succinctly articulated. This included the impact on their school attendance and safety as a result of having to tout water over significant distances and inconvenient times. 3.3.9 POLICY ENVIRONMENT A critical aspect of a country‘s youth development landscape is the youth policy environment. Part of the youth assessment included an examination of Haiti‘s youth policy environment. Participants were asked several questions about the youth policy environment in Haiti. There was general agreement that a youth policy was necessary to facilitate the positive development of Haitian youth. While some of the participants were aware of the existence of a draft national youth policy, many were not familiar with its content. Generally, participants lamented the lack of inclusivity in policy development processes, especially as it related to disadvantaged and young people living in vulnerable circumstances, women and persons living with disabilities. Although some of the youth leaders were aware of efforts to develop a new national youth policy they expressed concerns regarding the uncertainty surrounding the process. However, the majority of participants expressed the view that a new national youth policy for Haiti must be evidence- 29 based and integrated. They also felt it would be unproductive to develop a policy without the accompanying implementation strategy and action plan 30 IV. RECOMMENDATIONS The findings of the youth assessment indicate that the Haitian youth development landscape is complex, dynamic and challenging. However, it is the view of most stakeholders that educated, healthy, economically empowered, socially connected, resilient, and active young people remain Haiti‘s best hope for sustainable development. They also articulated several policy recommendations to enhance Haiti‘s youth development landscape. Most significantly, there was a consensus among stakeholders on the need for a more strategic approach to youth development in Haiti. In their view, this strategic approach must be defined by evidenced-based and integrated youth development policies, enhanced and sustainable investments in youth development, effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and inclusive processes to facilitate the active engagement of young people as strategic partners in Haiti‘s sustainable development. Some specific policy interventions and strategies were also recommended to address the several youth development issues and challenges identified during the assessment. These include: 4.1 DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT POLICY FOR HAITI Drawing upon the recommendations of several Haitian youth development stakeholders, the World Programme of Action for Youth, the CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan (CYDAP) 2012-2017, and international best practices, the assessment team concluded that the wishes and aspirations of the Haitian young people would not be accomplished through the traditionally activity-based approach to youth development, the perpetuation of deficit discourse perspectives, and inadequate youth participation models. Indeed, the team is convinced that evidence-based policies and integrated programs, grounded in sound theoretical perspectives and encapsulating the core principles of positive youth development are imperative. It is in “The positive youth development perspective emphasizes the manifest potentialities rather than the supposed incapacities of young people- including young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and those with the most troubled histories. While the positive youth development approach recognizes the existence of adversities and developmental challenges that may affect children in various ways, it resists conceiving of the developmental process mainly as an effort to overcome deficits and risk. Instead, it begins with a vision of a fully-abled child eager to explore the world, gain competence, and acquire the capacity to contribute importantly to the world. The Positive Youth Development approach aims at understanding, educating, and engaging children in productive activities rather than at correcting, curing, or treating them for maladaptive tendencies or so-called disabilities.” (Damon, 2004). 31 this context, the assessment team proposes, as matter of utmost priority, the development of an integrated national youth development policy for Haiti. This integrated national youth policy will serve as a guiding framework for the empowerment of Haitian young people as agents of social change, active citizens and strategic partners in a democratic, socially inclusive, prosperous and sustainable Haitian society. It is further proposed that the integrated national youth policy must be grounded in a positive youth development perspective and informed by the core values of human rights, democracy, gender equality, equity, inclusion, integrity, and empowerment. PYD is relevant as it emphasizes the development of youth resilience and enhancement of their capability to function as active citizens of Haiti. It adopts an asset-based concept and acknowledges the valuable contribution of young people and other non-youth stakeholders. It also emphasizes the need for young people to determine in their own deliberate judgment, what is and is not meaningful to them. PYD values the roles of adults as vital support and partners in facilitating youth empowerment. The concept of PYD originated from ecological systems theory and was propelled by the adoption of a broader focus for addressing what were perceived as youth issues, among practitioners, policy makers, and prevention scientists in the 1990‘s. (Pittman, O‘Brien, and Kimball 1993). In the Haitian context, PYD implies the existence of an enabling environment that facilitates youth economic empowerment, wellbeing, resilience, and active citizenship among young people irrespective of their abilities, gender, socio-economic status and geographic location. The core values of human rights, democracy, gender equality, equity, inclusion, integrity, and empowerment are consistent with the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These are also the guiding principles of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY), the CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan (CYDAP) and several other instruments and global frameworks for human development. 4.2 FORMULATE AN ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR THE INTEGRATED YOUTH POLICY The proposed integrated national youth policy will be the guiding framework and will articulate the vision, goals, objectives, and strategic priorities for youth development in Haiti. It will also provide a platform for strategic partnerships in youth development and articulate the role that young people will play in Haiti's development process. However, consistent with the recommendations of the World Programme of Action for Youth and the Baku Commitment for youth policies, it is recommended that:  an appropriate implementation strategy and action plan should be formulated to facilitate implementation of the integrated youth policy;  the action plan and implementation strategy should be evidence-based and facilitate youth and gender mainstreaming approach; 32  the action plan must be supported by a dedicated budget; and  the action plan should include a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation strategy. 4.3 STRENGTHEN THE INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN HAITI Haitian youth development stakeholders also articulated the need for more functional and effective institutional arrangements to support youth development. They cited issues such as insufficient coordination among existing youth development stakeholders; the inadequacy of youth participation strategies. They lamented the absence of a professionalized youth development culture in Haiti and recommended several policy measures and options, including:  Implement a youth mainstreaming strategy.  Support institutional strengthening of the key youth development agencies and institutions.  Implement of evidence-based programs and initiatives.  Support the participation of young people in the conceptualization, planning and implementation of programs and projects.  Encourage and facilitate strategic partnerships among Haitian youth networks and youth development agencies.  Encourage and facilitate networking among local agencies, regional and international development organizations.  Develop and publish an inventory of youth-led and youth serving organizations in Haiti.  Facilitate the professionalization of youth development practice and culture (CCYD Paramaribo declaration).  Support the establishment of a National Youth platform.  Develop and support the implementation of a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.  Support the hosting of a ‗National Dialogue‘ on youth development in Haiti. 4.4 SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN HAITI DEMOCRATIC AND GOVERNANCE PROCESSES Young people have been described as agents of social change. Despite the obvious youth development challenges, Haitian young people possess the intellectual capacity, technological savvy, and creative ability to transform the national development landscape. However, this will only be accomplished by investing in the young people of Haiti and facilitating their active participation in civic and political processes. Their active participation will contribute to immensely improve the relevance and impact of development strategies and processes. Further, the active participation of Haitian young people in social justice, peace building, and democratic processes can serve to perpetuate and protect the core principles of democracy; and become an investment in and potent defense mechanism against the possible proliferation of fundamentalism and terrorism. Active youth participation of Haitian young people will also enhance the country‘s capacity to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Principles on Ownership, mutual accountability, transparent and responsible aid (2005) and the Accra agenda for action (2008). Finally, active participation of 33 Haitian young people enhances the country‘s capacity to accomplish the SDGs. During the youth assessment process, young people and youth stakeholders identified a number of opportunities to accentuate active participation of Haitian young people and articulated profound policy options to facilitate active youth participation in civic and democratic processes. Among these include:  Develop and enact appropriate legislation and policies to enhance the active participation of Haitian young people in democratic processes.  Support programs and initiatives that facilitate the development of leadership skills and competencies. These can be linked to education and learning programs, e.g. HELP.  Support the participation of young people in local, regional and international programs that contribute to development of leadership skills and competencies.  Accentuate opportunities for Haitian young people to benefit from programs to enhance their knowledge of the core principles of democracy and systems of democratic governance.  Invest in and actively support young people‘s participation in and contribution to reformation and strengthening of democratic institutions, systems and processes.  Actively Support young people‘s contribution to and participation in peace-building initiatives; and generally facilitate youth-led efforts against struggle against political extremism and fundamentalism.  Optimize opportunities for young people to perform the role of youth ambassadors.  Encourage political parties and groups to meaningfully, engage young people in their policy and decision-making structures and processes.  Facilitate opportunities for training in advocacy for Haitian young people, especially those in vulnerable circumstances.  Support the participation of Haitian young people, especially those in vulnerable circumstances in inclusive political processes and democratic practices through the promotion of appropriate legislative frameworks, policies and action plans.  Enhance young people‘s skills and capacities to participate actively in community, national and global democratic processes.  Promote the participation and appointment of young women in political office and all levels of decision making.  Strengthen the capacity of young people-led organizations to participate meaningfully in Haiti‘s sustainable development agenda, including in humanitarian efforts and peace- building;  Provide leadership training opportunities for youth leaders.  Facilitate the engagement of young people and young people-led organizations to promote the principles and values of democratic governance.  Mainstream the participation of Haitian young people in promoting good governance and integrity in public office , through: - facilitating training in social auditing and methods of evaluating public sector projects and investments; - enhancing their capacity to use of mobile technology as tools to promote accountability; 34 - supporting youth advocacy for development and enactment of appropriate policy and legislation; and - supporting the active engagement of youth representative bodies in decision– making processes. 4.5 FACILITATE THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF HAITIAN YOUTH Most of the stakeholders expressed the view that economic deprivation was a major contributing factor to many of the social issues impacting the Haitian society. Consequently, the equitable access to economic opportunities was identified as a critical factor for youth empowerment in Haiti. They also expressed the view that economically empowered young people were critical to Haiti‘s sustainable development. This view is succinctly articulated in the literature on youth economic empowerment. For example, Sharma & Naik (2016) postulated that economically empowered young people will positively contribute to economic growth, poverty alleviation and equity. In their view, ―Connecting youth to economic opportunity, through technical and vocation training, life skills development, work readiness programs, job placement services, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion are more crucial now than ever.‖ (Sharma & Naik, pg. 1, 2016) 12 The following strategies and initiatives can be employed to facilitate the economic empowerment of Haitian young people: 4.5.1 DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP STRATEGY FOR HAITI "Entrepreneurship is often given as a simple solution to alleviating poverty, but research shows that it doesn‘t offer answers to mass youth unemployment and we must exercise caution in promoting it as a way to do so." 13 Youth entrepreneurship, when properly conceptualized and adequately mainstreamed has the potential to positively impact youth employment, economic empowerment, gender equity, national productivity, wealth creation, and private sector development. In 2015, the United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) indicated, that despite the importance of youth entrepreneurship in stimulating economic development in many countries, its potential has yet to be fully harnessed. UNCTAD has also noted that a country‘s approach to youth entrepreneurship development should informed by its socio-economic context and development landscape. A key recommendation is the development of a comprehensive National Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy. There are five basic steps in formulating such a policy. These include: i. Assessing of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. ii. Facilitating a consultative process on youth entrepreneurship. iii. Developing an integrated youth entrepreneurship plan. iv. Designing an implementation strategy for the integrated youth entrepreneurship plan. v. Setting up an effective monitoring and evaluation system. 12 http://www.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/MeasuringInvestments_YEO.pdf 13 http://theconversation.com/starting-a-new-business-is-not-the-answer-for-most-of-the-worlds-poor-34565 35 Among the core aspects of the comprehensive National Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy should be:  strengthening the small business regulatory environment;  optimizing opportunities for entrepreneurship education and skills development;  facilitating technological innovation;  improving access to funding, including micro-finance;  promoting entrepreneurship awareness;  promoting financial literacy;  facilitating private sector development;  facilitating equitable access to public sector investment and procurement; and  encouraging the development of agro-business and agro-based industries. 4.5.2 PROMOTE YOUTH SKILLS FOR INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH Availability of requisite labor market skills has been identified as a contributing factor for high and persistent youth unemployment. Consequently, many governments, especially in low- and middle- income countries are encouraged to actively develop and implement policies that will facilitate young people to attain the skills they need to do well in work and in life, as well as to find suitable employment (CYPCC, 2012; CDB, 2015; Glick, Huang & Mejia, n.d.). Youth development stakeholders strongly recommended to:  Ensure that existing Youth Skills Development Programs are better structured, more relevant to Haiti‘s current and emerging labor market needs.  Ensure that youth skills development programs are properly coordinated and accredited.  Re-brand and reposition existing Technical Vocational and Youth Skills Development Program to ensure these contribute to the following: - inclusive economic growth by reducing youth unemployment; - enhanced Haiti‘s social and human resource development capital; - accessible training opportunities for disadvantaged young people, including those living with disabilities; - increased labor market driven workforce skills; and - enhanced national productivity. 4.5.3 ENHANCE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYABILITY According to the International Labor Organization, providing decent work opportunities for young people positively impact the economic and human development landscape. Countries can benefit through increases in tax revenues, reduction of expenditures and cost of social safety nets and improvement of national productivity. As it has been demonstrated by the social and political uprisings which took place in several Middle Eastern and Northern African countries in 2010/2011, popularly referred to as by the Arab Spring and similar youth-led uprisings in other countries, lack of decent work opportunities could lead to social unrest and even political extremism. Indeed, the young people of Haiti emphasized the perceived links between youth employment and community renewal, citizen‘s security, political stability, gender equity and sustainable inter-generational partnerships. Some strategies that have been proposed to enhance youth employment and employability in Haiti include: 36  Develop evidence-based national youth employment policies and programs.  Create a labor market information system.  Facilitate the active participation of young people in economic planning and the designing of youth employment programs.  Develop and implement integrated life skills, coaching and mentorship programs.  Facilitate greater access to decent work opportunities through pro-growth economic policies.  Develop and implement programs to build job skills and competencies through strategic partnerships involving the public and private sector, civil society, and academic institutions.  Develop and support school–to-work transition programs, such as internships, career guidance and volunteerism.  Accentuate employment opportunities in the agricultural sector including: - development of a viable strategy to enhance youth participation in the agricultural sector ; and - promotion of the potential of value–added agricultural production for small business development, workforce development, and agro processing industry.  Maximize the economic value of Haiti‘s creative industries.  Support youth cultural and artistic expressions. 4.6 PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Haitian young people value education especially post-secondary education. It is viewed as a tool for empowerment by facilitating access to economic opportunity and enhanced social mobility. However, they have lamented the inadequacy of opportunities for higher education; challenges involved in accessing education and learning opportunities; the quality of the education and learning environment; the relevance of the curriculum; and the competence of the educators. Among the several recommendations include:  Develop and implement measures to improve the quality, relevance and access to education at all levels.  Institute appropriate strategies, including youth-led initiatives to tackle illiteracy problems.  Facilitate the integration of young people living with disabilities in the mainstream education system.  Review and enhance the curriculum.  Improve the pedagogical skills of teachers and educators.  Conduct appropriate research on the relevance of the education system to Haiti‘s sustainable development needs.  Revise and remodel education system to become more relevant to Haiti‘s sustainable development needs.  Support and facilitate the active participation of young people, including students in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of education policy, management and learning. 37  Support and facilitate gender mainstreaming in education and learning environments (SDG 5, Beijing declaration 1995, national gender policy 2014-2034). 4.7 BUILD SOCIAL CAPITAL AND STRENGTH EN YOUTH RESILIENCE Throughout the assessment, youth development stakeholders highlighted the relative inadequacies of existing social support systems. Another dominant theme was young people‘s ability to cope with the challenges of economic deprivation, social exclusion and disaster. Even as they commended the resilience demonstrated by young people, concerns were expressed regarding the negative impact of these development challenges on young people‘s coping ability. Several initiatives to help strengthen young people‘s resilience and build their social capital were recommended, including:  Improve access to youth friendly social services.  Eng age young people in the conceptualization, design and delivery of those services.  Assess the impact of all development policies and plans on young people.  Provide young people with safe spaces for recreation, networking and personal development.  Develop and implement positive parenting programs.  Facilitate inter-generational partnerships.  Develop life-skills training programs for young people. 4.8 IMPROVE YOUTH HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Healthy young people are perhaps Haiti‘s greatest development resource and indeed a critical success factor in achieving its sustainable development goals. Youth and well-being must therefore be recognized as critical area of cross sectorial youth policy for Haiti and must be treated as an instrument for empowerment, social inclusion and active citizenship. Consequently, it is proposed that a Haitian youth strategy must focus on the well-being of the youth population by:  Preventing and treating addictions and substance abuse.  Enhancing awareness on the prevalence of STIs among young people.  Raising awareness on the role of sport as a tool for promoting healthy lifestyles.  Promoting inter-agency initiatives between schools, youth workers, health professionals and sport organizations.  Making health facilities more accessible and attractive for young people, especially LGBT youth.  Implementing the long proposed national youth health policy.  Improving the collection and analysis of youth health-related data. 38 4.9 EMPOWER HAITIAN YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE GBV is conceptualized as any kind of discrimination and/or behavior that maybe injurious to and is directed against a person or group of persons on the basis of their (real or perceived) gender or sexual orientation.‖ 14 GBV may be manifested physically, sexually, psychologically, economically or socio-culturally; and may include intimate partner violence, psychological and/or emotional violence, sexual violence, economic violence, and socio-cultural violence. Family or community members and those acting on behalf of cultural, religious or state institutions are often cited as perpetrators of GBV, which affects both women and men but disproportionately affects women and girls. Gender-based violence is a human rights violation that transcends age, culture, class, education, ethnicity and background. GBV is a youth development issue, as young people may be implicated in several ways, including as victims, perpetrators, and/or collaborators. Young people‘s experience with GBV may significantly impact their wellbeing, educational and professional achievements, and their social capital. Youth interviewed throughout the assessment highlighted GBV as a concern. Youth-led social media campaigns in some other Caribbean countries have also accentuated the relevance of GBV as a critical youth development issue. Consequently, an integral component of Haiti‘s youth development strategy must facilitate the appropriate support systems and safe places for young women and men to develop positive attitudes towards relationship s and challenge those values and beliefs that promote violent behavior. Among the policy recommendations to empower young people in preventing GBV should be:  Creating safe environments where young people can explore the effects of GBV on them and their peers.  Enhancing young people‘s awareness of the nature of GBV and its root causes.  Supporting young people in acknowledging and exercising their rights to be valued and treated with respect and their responsibility to value and respect others.  Providing young people with the skills and competencies to become agents of change in their own communities, schools and spaces.  Using formal and non-formal learning environments in the prevention of GBV among young people and in the promotion of relationships based on tolerance, respect and equality.  Supporting youth development practitioners, educators, social workers, police officers, and community leaders working with young people on the prevention of GBV. 14 Empowering Young People in Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Peer Education 39 4.10 MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE Stakeholders were very concerned about a culture of violence pervading Haitian society and its debilitating consequences. They identified several contributing factors, including the lack of economic opportunities and systematic socio-economic inequalities. They are also highlighted the inadequacies of the strategies to address issues of crime and violence, including the juvenile justice system and presented several recommendations for improvement, including:  Treat Juvenile Justice as a youth development issue and address it in the proposed integrated youth policy.  Implement community-based programs and projects that provide social protection for adolescents and young people.  Develop and implement youth-led peace-building programs in schools and communities.  Develop the necessary framework for the reintegration of juvenile offenders.  Develop and invest in community-based rehabilitation programs. 4.11 SUPPORT YOUTH ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS The findings of the assessment highlighted the need for improved awareness among young people on issues related to climate change and the environment. It also confirmed the need for young people to play leading roles in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. Several recommendations to youth awareness and active participation in matters related to climate change and environmental sustainability were presented, including:  Implement programs to educate young people on the importance of protecting the environment.  Develop appropriate collaborations between youth associations and key national and international organizations to create awareness about climate change.  Encourage and support young people taking up leadership roles in community-based environmental projects and programs.  Adopt holistic approaches to addressing environmental issues. 40 V. CONCLUSIONS “Development can be accelerated when the majority of youth in any country are able to make significant contributions to economic, social, and political life in a way that lifts countries out of poverty, ensures greater stability and promotes healthier societies.” (USAID, 2012. pg.1) Though disproportionately and negatively impacted by several complex development challenges, young people remain convinced of their capacity to contribute to and lead the transformation of the Haitian society. Many expressed the view that Haitian youth possess the positive qualities necessary to bring about significant changes in the society. Among these qualities most mentioned were their motivation and the will to shape the future, and the energy, the passion and talents to work at it. The issues and challenges faced by the young people in Haiti necessitate some serious consideration, effective programs and integrated policies to facilitate their positive development. There are some challenges in the economy that impede their development of human, social and economic capital. Therefore, there is a clarion for urgent action to address issues related to youth economic empowerment, social capital, relevant education and training opportunities and active youth participation. To accomplish these, the government of Haiti and its several development partners must actively consider profound social, economic and political reforms. 41 ANNEX A: LIST OF KEY INFORMANTS INTERVIEWED Nom Organisation / Position Contact details Elizabeth Pierre-Louis FOKAL/Program Coordinnator epierrelouis@fokal.org Gerard Anis FOKAL/ Coordinator Youth Development Initiatives jganis@fokal.org Philippe Cantave Former COP AKSE Project cantavephilippe@hotmail.com Amos Cincir President Gouvernement Jeunesse Cincir2005@yahoo.fr Michel Pean SHAA/ Coordonnateur shaveugles@yahoo.com Eddy Lemaire SHHA / Jeune malvoyant Jeffrey Lochard Communication Specialist Jc.lochard@unesco.org Camille Jeudy UNESCO Anne Martine Augustin ACTIVEH augustinannemartine@gmail.com Martine Arthur CAP-CHR centrecapchr@gmail.com Alexandra Vanessa Destin Pierre CYEN Haiti pierrealexandra@hotmail.com Lorenzo Rovelli UNFPA rovelli@unfpa.org Fritz Moise FOSREF/ Directeur executive fritzmoise@yahoo.com Thénéus Gervely GARR/ Officier de projet à Lascahobas – Jeunes rapatriés de la Republique Dominicaine admin@garr-haiti.org Marc Alain Boursiquot Group Echo maboucicault@yahoo.fr Amber Walsh HELP/ Assistant Directeur awalsh@uhelp.net Diem Pierre IBESR/Assistant de la directrice générale Claudine Saintal IDEH ide.haiti@gmail.com 42 Nom Organisation / Position Contact details Esther Randiche IDEH ide.haiti@gmail.com Pasteur Sincere Céant Auguste Jeunesse Internationale eglise du Nazareen/ Maison d‘enfant par la foi pasteursincere@gmail.com Charlot Jeudi KOURAJ/President info@kouraj.org Louis-Henri Mars LAKOU LAPE lakoulape@hotmail.com/ lhmars@lakoulape.org Woodly Simon MJSAC/ Directeur Jeunesse woodlysimon@yahoo.fr Nadine Louis PROFAMIL info@profamilhaiti.org Henry Hogarth Tretatech-DPK/USAID- PROJUSTICE HAITI hh2hay.t@gmail.com Elizabeth Augustin UNICEF/ Officier de Communication Point focal Genre / Adolescents eaugustin@unicef.org Claude Mane Das UNICEF/ Haiti Child protection specialist cmdas@unicef.org Arnoux Descardes VDH/ Directeur executive nonodesc@yahoo.fr> Rosanie Moise VETERIMED rmoise66@hotmail.com Daphning Pierre World Merit worldmerit.haiti@gmail.com/ daphning.pierre@gmail.com 43 ANNEX B: BIBLIOGRAPHY Benson, Peter. Peter Scales, S. F. Hamilton, and A. Semsa, Jr. 2006. "Positive Youth Development: Theory, Research, and Applications." In Theoretical Models of Human Development, edited by Richard Lerner, Ann Easterbrook and Jayanthi Mistry, 894-941. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Bruzual, Alexander. (2014). "16 year-old killed in Barataria." Trinidad Express Newspaper. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/16-year-old-Barataria-teen-killed-249304911.html. Bureau of International Labor Affairs (2016). " Child Labor and Forced Labor Report Haiti." Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). 2015. Youth are the Future: The Imperative of Youth Employment for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean CARICOM 2010. "Declaration of Paramaribo on the future of youth in the Caribbean." CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (2010). The Cost of Negative Youth Behaviours in CARICOM Member States, Report of CCYD- CARICOM Commission on Youth Development. CARICOM. Carver, J. W., Devieux, J. G., Gaston, S. C., Altice, F. 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Plan Stratégique National Santé Jeunes et Adolescents, Connaître les Jeunes pour Mieux les Servir. 2014 – 2017. 46 Nevitte, N. (2015). Diagnostic de l‘engagement citoyen dans la perspective des élections de 2015 en Haïti. Rapport d‘une enquête nationale de l‘Observatoire Citoyen pour l‘Institutionnalisation de la Démocratie (OCID) Novikoff, A. B. (1945). "Continuity and Discontinuity in Evolution." Science 101:405-6. OECD. (2005). Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness OECD. (2008). Accra Agenda for Action Pierre, Y.-F., Smucker, G. R., & Tardieu, J.-F. (2009). Lost Childhoods in Haiti: Quantifying Child Trafficking, Restavèks & Victims of Violence. Pierre-Louis, F. (2011). Earthquakes, Nongovernmental Organizations, and Governance in Haiti. Journal of Black Studies 42(2) 186 –202 42 (2), 186- 202. doi: 10.1177/0021934710395389 Pierre-Louis,N. (2016). 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Promoting Positive Youth Development: Theoretical and Empirical Bases. Washington, DC: National Council/Institute of Medicine. Roth, J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2003). "What Exactly is a Youth Development Program? Answers from Research and Practice." Applied Developmental Science 7 (94-111). Roth, J., Brooks-Gunn, J., Murray, L., & Foster, W. (1998). Promoting Healthy Adolescents: Synthesis of Youth Development Program Evaluations. Journal of Research on Adolescence 8(4), 423-459 Schermann, C. (2014). Innovations et bonnes pratiques éducatives en Haïti. Document dactylographié. Port-au-Prince, HT : FOKAL. 47 Sharma, Ritu & Naik, Rohan. (2016). Measuring Investments in Youth Economic Opportunity. http://www.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/MeasuringInvestments_YEO.pdf Sommerfelt, T. (2015). Child Fosterage and Child Domestic Work in Haiti in 2014: Analytical report . FAFO U.S. Department of State (2015). ""Haiti," in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2014. U.S. Department of State (2016). " "Haiti," in Trafficking in Persons Report- 2016. ." UN, Department of Social and Economic Affairs ( DSEA) (2010). Youth Participation in Development - Summary Guidelines for Development Partners. Department of Social and Economic Affairs (DESA) New York: UN. UN (1981). United Nations General Assembly Resolution 36/28. www.un.org/documents/ga/res/36/a36r028.htm UN (2013). The Millennium Development Goals Report. New York. UN (1948) Declaration on Human Rights. General Assembly Resolution 217A. UN. Department of Social and Economic Affairs ( DESA) 2010. What is a World Plan of Action for Youth? Department of Social and Economic Affairs (DESA). New York: UN. UNAIDS (2012). "Young people and HIV. New York: UNAIDS." UNDESA(1995). World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond. http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/wpay2010.pdf UNDP (2015). "UNDP. The Human Development Report 2015: Work for human Development. Web version ". UNDP(2012). Caribbean Human Development Report: Human development and the Shift to Better Citizen Security. http://hdr-caribbean.regionalcentrelac- undp.org/files/Caribbean_HDR2012.pdf UNESCO (1998). Lisbon Declaration on Youth. Policies and Programmes. Lisbon Portugal August 12 1998. UNESCO (2004). Empowering Youth Through National Policies. Paris: UNESCO UNESCO (2006). Youth Mainstreaming. Paris: UNESCO. http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/tc_addis06_1_unescoe.pdf UNESCO (2014). Operational Strategy on Youth 2014-2021. http://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/Operational percent20Strategy percent20on percent20Youth percent202014-2021.pdf UNFPA (2014). State of world population 2014. 48 UNFPA(1999). UNFPA Caribbean Youth Summit 1998: Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Kingston. United Nations Development Programme. Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A/RES/70/1. Web version. United Nations Development Programme. (2015). The Human Development Report 2015: Work for human Development. New York, NY: Web version. USAID (2012) Youth in Development Policy Paper, realizing the demographic Opportunity. Retrieved from https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/Youth_in_Development_Policy_0. pdf USAID (2013) "State of the field report: Examining the evidence in youth workforce development" USAID (2013). Eastern and Southern Caribbean Youth Assessment. USAID. USAID/Haiti (2016). "Democracy, Human Rights & Governance Fact Sheet." Von Betralanffy, L. (1993). Modern Theories of Development. London: Oxford University Press. West Indian Commission. (1992). Time for Action Wood, B., J. Betts, et al. (2011). "The Evaluation of the Paris Declaration, Final Report, Copenhagen, DK: OECD‖. World Bank. "GINI index (World Bank estimate)." Retrieved 2016, 10/10, from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=HT . World Bank. (2003). Caribbean Youth Development, Issues and Policy Directions. World Bank Country Study. Washington, DC: World Bank. World Bank. (2012a). Youth Employment Programs. An Evaluation of World Bank and IFC Support. Washington, DC: World Bank. World Bank. (2012b). Children and Youth in Crisis. Protecting and Promoting Human Development in Times of Economic Shocks. Washington, DC: World Bank World Bank. (2016). "Economy Rankings." Retrieved 12/15, 2016, from http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings/. World Federation of Youth (1945). Constitution. Edited by World Federation of Democratic Youth. Athens: WFDY. World Health Organisation. (2012). Adolescent Mental Health: Mapping Actions of Non- governmental Organizations and Other International Development Organizations. Switzerland: WHO. 49 50 ANNEX C: KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW PROTOCOL Thank you for meeting with us today. I am _____ and this is my colleague _______. Our team has been asked by USAID to carry out an assessment on the situation of youth Haiti. We hope to gather information from a variety of perspectives regarding youth livelihoods, especially regarding the opportunities and challenges they face in their development. This assessment is intended to inform the Agency on current trends facing youth today and will provide recommendations for future youth programming over the next five years. It would be most appreciated if your responses were as open and honest as possible. This interview is not an evaluation of your organization or program. Your responses today will be incorporated into a final report for public distribution. Your answers will be anonymous. Your name and any identifying information will not be included in the body of the report without your permission. Do you have any questions before we proceed? *Respond to participant’s questions before the interview begins. Name: Organization: Position: Sex: Male Female Other Youth or Adult (For youth only) Age: Location: Urban Rural Highest Level of Schooling Achieved: Currently in school? Yes No Current status: Full-time employment Unemployed Self-Employed Part-time employment SECTION 1: YOUTH LANDSCAPE 1. Briefly describe your impression of the youth development landscape? a. What are the most pressing challenges faced by youth? b. What are the most important opportunities for improving the lives of youth? 51 SECTION 2: Ask respondents to rank each sectoral area in terms of importance to youth on a scale of 1-5. Sectors Responses (1-5) (1= not important, 5=very important) Economic Opportunities Crime and Violence Education and Training Juvenile Justice Health and Well-Being Social Support Systems Environment and Climate Change Instructions to Interviewer(s): Based on the respondent‘s function, their answer to the first question, and their responses to Section 2, prioritize the 1-3 main cross-cutting themes (and/or the policy environment questions) for the respondent to answer. Skip sections that are less relevant to each respondent. Please note that questions in bold should be the priorities. Make sure to leave enough time in the interview to allow for the Next Steps questions and the problem ranking at the end of this protocol. When finished, make sure to thank the interviewee, allow them to ask any questions they have, and ask whether or not it would be all right to follow up if needed. SECTION 3: POLICY ENVIRONMENT (If Relevant) 1. What are the most important government policies aimed at youth? a. Is there a National Youth Policy? Yes_ No_ Don‘t Know_ b. If no, do you think a National Youth Policy is necessary? Yes_ No_ Not sure_ c. If, there is a national Youth Policy could you answer questions (ci-vi) i. Is there an implementation strategy? 1. Is it being followed? 2. Is it in need of revision? ii. What are the key strengths of the Policy? iii. What are the key weaknesses of the Policy? iv. How can it be improved? v. Is the National Youth Policy linked to the National Development Strategy? vi. How were young people engaged in the development of the Policy? d. Are there other important youth-focused policies in the areas of education, environment, health, crime and violence, gender, social support systems, juvenile justice, and/or economic opportunities? e. Do you have enough empirical data to inform youth development programming? SECTION 4: THEMES (Select most appropriate ones) Economic opportunities: a. What is the status of youth engagement in the economy? i. How do youth earn their money? b. What are key factors leading to successful youth engagement in the economy? 52 c. What do you think are the primary challenges for youth engagement in the economy? d. To what extent are young men and women affected differently with regard to economic opportunities? e. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to economic opportunities? f. What more can be done to improve youth engagement in the economy? i. What industries do you think more young people could be employed in? 2. Crime and Violence: a. How would you characterize the relationship between youth and crime/violence? i. What do you think are the most important impacts of crime on youth? ii. What do you think are the most important factors driving youth to commit crimes? iii. What are the most important factors in reducing crime and violence and its impact as they relate to youth? b. To what extent are young men and women affected differently with regard to crime and violence? c. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to crime and violence? d. What more can be done to help victims of crime and violence? e. What more can be done to prevent youth from becoming victims of crime and violence? f. What more can be done to prevent youth engagement in criminal and violent activity? 3. Education and Training: a. To what extent do you think education and training are meeting the needs of youth? b. What are the most successful aspects of education and training as they relate to youth? c. What do you think are the primary challenges faced by young people with respect to education and training? d. To what extent are young men and women affected differently with regard to education and training? e. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to education and training? f. What more can be done to improve youth education and training? 4. Juvenile Justice: a. How would you characterize the relationship between youth and the justice system? (including police, courts, correctional officers, prisons, etc…) b. What are the most successful aspects of the justice system as it relates to youth? c. What are the challenges to an effective justice system as it relates to youth? 53 d. To what extent are young men and women affected differently with regard to juvenile justice? e. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to juvenile justice? f. What more can be done to improve the juvenile justice system? 5. Health and Well-Being: a. What is the status of youth‟s mental and physical health and well-being? i. What are the key factors that contribute to youth‘s health and well-being? ii. What do you think are the primary challenges to youth‘s health and well- being? b. To what extent do young men and women‟s health and well-being differ? c. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to youth health and well-being? d. What more can be done to improve youth health and well-being? 6. Social Support Systems: a. What is the status of non-governmental social support systems as they relate to youth? (friends and family, relationships, authority figures, religion, sports, clubs, etc…) i. What are the most successful aspects of social support systems as they relate to youth? ii. What do you think are the primary challenges faced by young people in regard to social support systems? b. To what extent are young men and women affected differently with regard to social support systems? c. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to youth social support systems? d. What more can be done to improve youth social support systems? 7. Environment/ Climate Change: a. What role do youth currently play in the political and social arena regarding the environment and climate change? i. In what ways is the engagement of youth in environmental issues successful? ii. What are the challenges to successful engagement in environmental issues? b. To what extent do young men and women engage differently with the environment and climate change? c. Do you know of any youth-focused initiatives that the government, private sector, and/or other donors are involved in relating to environment and climate change? d. What more can be done to improve/increase the role of youth in environment and climate change issues? 54 SECTION 5: NEXT STEPS 8. If you were in our position, what would be the most important thing to communicate to USAID/Haiti about youth development in the country? 9. If you were in our position, what youth-focused programs or policies would you most recommend that USAID/Haiti implement? 55 ANNEX D: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE Introduction: Good day! My name is _____, and I will be the facilitator for our conversation today. My colleague (s) name is (are) ______, and she/he will be helping to take notes. Thank you for being here today and for talking with us. We are currently conducting an assessment of the youth situation in Haiti and we are very grateful you have agreed to speak with us today. Our purpose is to find out more about the situation of young people in Haiti. The information you share with us will be very useful in providing and accurate and comprehensive assessment of the youth situation in Haiti. We therefore urge you to share your thoughts as openly and honestly as possible. There are no right or wrong answers; we just want to know about your opinions and the lives of young people in Haiti. Also, we want to assure you your information will be valued in putting together our report. However, we will not share your names or any other identifying information with USAID or with anyone else. We invite you to participate actively in the discussion, and please be respectful of everyone else‘s contribution during the conversation. Finally, you should know that your participation today is completely voluntary. You will not receive any form of payment for participating, and you can choose not to participate if you do not want to. If you do choose to participate, you will help USAID to better understand the situation of youth in Haiti and help them to choose and design more effective programs in the future. Do you understand these expectations, or do you have any questions? [Wait for confirmation or questions from the participants.] Do you agree to participate? [Wait for confirmation or questions from the participants.] Great. Let‘s start by introducing ourselves. Please tell us your name, how old you are, and your involvement in youth work or your dream for young people in Haiti. 56 Focus Group Interview Summary Information Location:__________________________ Date & Time:__________________________ Group Name:_________________________________________________________ ____________ Facilitator Name:____________________________________________________________________ __ Co-facilitator Name: _________________________________________________________________ ____ List of Participants:___________________________________________________________ (Fill in the information below while participants introduce themselves.) # M /F Age Nickname Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Focus Group Discussion Questions 1. [YOUTH] What does “success” look like for you? [ADULTS] What do you think “success” looks like for young people in your community? 2. What kinds of opportunities or resources are available to young people in Haiti today to achieve that kind of success? 3. Are all young people able to take advantage of this opportunity? Why or why not? ● Prompts (based on context): gender, religious, geographic, or other disparities? 57 4. “What are the greatest challenges facing young people today in Haiti? If you would please say them one at a time, I will write them down on these cards.” As people say different topics, write down each on a separate index card. Ask if similar challenges can be combined onto one card, especially if they match one of the previously identified challenges listed below. “These are the challenges we have so far; are there any other important challenges facing youth today in Haiti?” Continue with this question until participants no longer identify additional challenges. 5. “Now, please look at these challenges we have identified, and think about which ones you think are the most urgent. On the piece of paper we have given you, please find the place marked „Challenge Ranking‟. Please make a list of the challenges we have identified, and put them in order from most urgent, to least urgent, with #1 being the most urgent, and #__ being the least urgent.” 6. “Now we are going to create a ranking based on the opinions of the whole group. What did you write down as the most urgent challenge on your list?” Facilitate a discussion to reach consensus as a group about the ranking of the challenges. 7. “Now I would like to talk about what resources and opportunities. What resources and opportunities are available to young people in Haiti to help address [Challenge #1]?” 8. What kinds of resources or opportunities would you like to have available in Haiti to help young people address [Challenge #1]? ● Follow-up: “Why you think that this important?” [Repeat Questions #5 and #6 based for each challenge identified as important by the group.] 9. Is there anything else related to the situation of youth in Haiti that you think is important for us to know? Thank you very much for sharing your time and your ideas with us today! 58 ANNEX E: PROBLEM RATING AND RANKING ASSESSMENT TOOL SECTION 1: ISSUE RATING Please rate each area in terms of its IMPORTANCE TO YOUTH . SECTORS RESPONSES (1-5) 1 = Not Important -> 5 = Very Important Economic Opportunities Crime and Violence Education and Training Juvenile Justice Health and Well-Being Social Support Systems (family, friends, clubs, religion, etc.) Environment and Climate Change Proper sanitation Under performing transport system Housing and accommodation SECTION 2: ISSUE RANKING Please rank the following problem statements in terms of their IMPORTANCE TO YOUTH .  1 is the most important problem and 13 is the least important problem  Please include only one problem statement per rank. PROBLEM STATEMENT MOST IMPORTANT –> LEAST IMPORTANT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Inadequate social support systems (family, friends, clubs…) Lack of youth inclusion in political decision-making 59 PROBLEM STATEMENT MOST IMPORTANT –> LEAST IMPORTANT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 High prevalence of substance abuse Gender inequity Underperforming juvenile justice system Inadequate education system Lack of access to economic opportunities High prevalence of crime and violence Environmental degradation and climate change Underperforming health system Underperforming transportation system Inadequate Sanitation services Inadequate housing and accommodation