Provides a brief background of Haiti's economic development over the last several decades, along with the status of women's rights and gender-differentiated socioeconomic outcomes. Analyzes how policy neglect of gender equity in Haiti has contributed to failed economic development and identifies ways that other developing countries have successfully incorporated a focus on gender equity in their development strategy, particularly in the face of natural disaster and financial crisis.
In the 1980s, the Haitian economy was subordinated within global capitalism through a dual strategy centered on assembly plants in the cities and laissez-faire agricultural policies. Today this strategy is back in the form of a "reconstruction" plan.
The 2010 earthquake in Haiti and its aftermath have highlighted inherent but understudied transnational governance and socio-legal complexities of disaster recovery and displacement. This paper examines the key transnational governance and socio-legal issues that have arisen in the South Florida region for four distinct groups: (i) displacees and their related legal, social, cultural, and economic issues; (ii) host communities and governance, legal, and monetary complexities associated with compensation payments (e.g., to hospitals for their services to earthquake survivors); (iii) immigrants within the United States and related legalization and citizenship issues; and (iv) diaspora communities and socio-legal issues related to dual citizenship and their ongoing struggles to have a louder voice in the future of Haiti.
This paper utilizes both narrative analysis and statistical techniques in an investigation of the principle of cumulative causation to explain underdevelopment, relative poverty and spatial disparities on Hispaniola. The events that explain this process in the underdevelopment of Hispaniola have resulted in a tragically downward spiral in Haiti, placing its future in great peril. The Dominican Republic is relatively better off than its neighbor; however, the shortage of basic services, poverty and malnutrition are quite prevalent in the Dominican Republic.
Argues that the historical boycott of Haiti's government in the 19th and 20th centuries by the international community, the constant internal struggle among the members of the elite for the control of state power, and the weakening of state structures through the creation of nongovernmental organizations have weakened the government's capacity to deal with major catastrophe and meet the needs of its citizens.
Finds that elimination of agricultural import tariffs hurts both agricultural and non-agricultural households, via adverse factor-market effects, but impacts vary substantially by workers' gender and country of origin. Females and Haitian immigrants tend to fare better than Dominican males, and there are ramifications for both market and non-market activities.
Provides background information on emergency Safe Spaces for children and specific information for responses in Haiti and the Solomon Islands. In 2007, both countries experienced natural disasters that resulted in internal displacement of thousands of people. The Save the Children Alliance created Safe Spaces for children living in camps for internally displaced persons. The project sought to accomplish 'B-SAFE' strategies through emergency education, psychosocial, and protection interventions. The B-SAFE strategies are to (B)uild relationships, cooperation, and respect among peers; to (S)creen for high-risk children and youth; (A)ctive, structured learning and life saving information; to (F)acilitate children's natural resilience and a return to normalcy; and to (E)stablish a sense of security and self-esteem.
Makes reference to the sixth visit of Radio International Feminista (Feminist International Radio Endeavour, FIRE) on April 8-15, 2011 to highlight the development in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Particular focus is offered on the role of Haitian women and other citizens in providing first hand information on policies on international humanitarian aid, offer their inputs to international actions on women's groups and human rights, among others.