Young Women as Architects of Peace and Cohabitation in Haiti
19 December 2023
Matienge, a young woman from Cité Soleil, self-identifies as a "peace mediator." She declares "I willingly engage in the positive transformation of conflict and tension drivers within several communities in the metropolitan areas in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In the area where I live, there are many socioeconomic vulnerabilities that put the fundamental rights of our communities in danger, such as a lack of crucial services (health, education, infrastructure, etc.) and unstable housing conditions. Residents of Cité Soleil, La Saline, and Saint Martin face ongoing family and community conflict as a result of this and other factors such as low wages, armed gang operations, and systematic violence.”
Matienge's statement echoes those of many other women who have been supported through the project 'Fanm Djamn pou Lapè,' funded by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. This initiative focuses on empowering women and involving them in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts.
Cité Soleil, a commune?in Haiti's West Department, has a population of?over 240,000 people. Saint-Martin, situated on the outskirts of the larger urban area that includes Bel-Air and La Saline in Port-au-Prince is home to around 5,000 people. A shared characteristic across these urban regions is the enduring presence of armed gangs exerting power.?
According to a report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published in January 2023, approximately 263 deaths and at least 57 cases of gang rape against women and girls were committed in Brooklyn, a sector in Cité Soleil, between 8 July and 31 December 2022.1 Additionally, the 51吃瓜 reported 71 fatalities during a violent incident perpetrated by armed groups on 13?and 14 November ?2018 in La Saline, Port-au-Prince.2
The escalation of violence and the growing dominance of armed gangs in different areas have led to a rise in acts of violence targeting women, men and young people. This has notably resulted in a major upsurge in incidents of gender-based violence (GBV).? "Unfortunately, this is still the daily reality for our communities, which feel abandoned and increasingly under the control of armed groups. These groups then become an appealing model for many young people facing limited economic opportunities," adds Matienge. "Our mission, as peace mediators, is to promote women's leadership by strengthening community resilience and enabling adaptive and transformative strategies to face challenges in our environment."
Since 2022, Matienge has been a part of a group of 97 dedicated individuals, mainly women, from Saint-Martin, La Saline, and Cité Soleil, who are actively engaged in facilitating and resolving conflicts within their communities. Concern Worldwide, alongside local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Négès Mawon, Institut de développement personnel et organisationnel (IDEO), and Communauté des médiateurs pour la Paix en Ha?ti et dans la Cara?be (CMPC), is providing support to the group. So far, the project has assisted approximately 1580 women and 360 girl survivors of violence.
"We are committed to promoting a citizenship model that engages in the positive transformation of our communities," Matienge asserts.?
The journey of this group of peace mediators began with workshops facilitated by CMPC on Education for Peace, initiating a process of deconstruction, personal transformation, and the promotion of peace values.? "After an initial careful consideration, my fellow participants and I engaged in reflective spaces challenging community divisions and constructing trust within our group. The structure of our network is based on a vision of a safe space where we have adopted common values and developed a shared identity," says Matienge.
These safe spaces have helped improve social cohesion by bringing together people from areas affected by violence led by armed gangs. "We mobilize individuals within our communities, primarily young people, around peacebuilding values, thereby helping to strengthen citizenship in our community," explains Matienge. "Past community activities focused on strengthening the social fabric," she continues, "and our mediator networks are currently involved in developing several initiatives to reduce community violence and build a strong community focused on common interests and peace."
Peaceful coexistence within communities, including the development of peace within families and communities, remains a core approach and mode of operation for the project.? "We lead community mediation processes on a voluntary basis between families or among community members," Matienge explains.?To accomplish this, we have established ourselves as "peacebuilders at the community level." "This long-term engagement in conflict prevention and management has earned us respect within our community, allowing our neighbours to confide in us to resolve family and community problems through peaceful resolutions," she continues. "We have supported cases of tension in couples, violence against children, or conflict between different members of a community," Matienge says. “Through these actions, we remain convinced that the construction of citizenship is critical to the stability and harmony of our communities, particularly in conflict-affected communities with limited access to public structures that support young people."
The project helps create a collective memory within communities as a tool for dialogue and peacebuilding. "By encouraging collective remembering of past experiences, we foster a shared understanding of events, promoting reconciliation and individual and community healing," Matienge argues. This procedure is critical to preserving peace in La Saline, Cité Soleil, and Saint Martin."?
To convey messages at both the community and decision-making levels, the project employs innovative communication methods such as theatre. It has been demonstrated that this engaging approach encourages participation from men, women, and youth, fostering inclusive discussions and addressing factors that contribute to inter- and intra-community conflicts.
"We have actively participated in several forums where we have shared our opinions and proposed solutions to decision-makers,” said?Matienge.
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2?OHCHR, La Saline: Justice pour les victimes, l’?tat a l’obligation de protéger tous les citoyens, MINUJUSTH, Juin 2019,