ARTICLE - WOMEN IN POLITICS - ART. 17 & 31

ARTICLES 17 AND 31 SAY MORE WOMEN, LESS ARROGANCE IN HAITIAN POLITICS
(Defend Haiti) - By Samuel Maxime

PORT-AU-PRINCE - More women, less arrogance in Haitian politics, or at least this is the hope of 2 additional sections to Articles 17 and 31. The process was initiated by former President Rene Preval. This amendment was proposed by the 48th Legislature and accepted by the 49th Legislature.

ARTICLE 17 was not touched but re-enforced with a section, ARTICLE 17.1, added to it. This new section now requires a modest 30% quota of female representation in Haiti politics.

Today, the Haitian senate of 30 senators has one woman. The Chamber of deputies of 99 deputies has 2. President Michel Martelly acted in accordance to this change, perhaps unknowingly, by having 3 of the 9 regularly standing ministries occupied by women. More work can be done in regards to all the new posts he created.

This is ARTICLE 17, as it was in 1987 and how it is in 2011.

All Haitians, regardless of sex or marital status, who have attained twenty-one years of age may exercise their political and civil rights, if they meet the other conditions prescribed by the Constitution and by law.

This section, ARTICLE 17.1 is now included:

The principle quota of at least thirty percent (30%) of women is recognized at all levels of national life including in the utilities.

ARTICLE 31

A new section to ARTICLE 31.1 was added... section ARTICLE 31.1.1. It reaffirms what was declared in ARTICLE 17.1, by mandating that registered political organizations also have within their laws, the 30% quota of female participation.

This is ARTICLE 31, the only new addition is 31.1.1:

ARTICLE 31:

Freedom of unarmed assembly and association for political, economic, social, cultural or any other peaceful purposes is guaranteed.

ARTICLE 31-1:

Political parties and groups shall compete with each other in the exercise of suffrage. They may be established and may carry out their activities freely. They must respect the principles of national and democratic sovereignty. The law determines the conditions for their recognition and operation, and the advantages and privileges reserved to them.

ARTICLE 31.1.1: Any law relating to political parties must book in its structures and mechanisms operating a treatment in accordance with the principle of quota at least thirty percent (30%) expressed in ARTICLE 17.1