ARTICLE - WOMEN IN BORDER REGIONS

MORE THAN 2,500 HAITIAN WOMEN ORGANIZED IN BORDER REGIONS WITH THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - DENOUNCED POOR LIVING CONDITIONS, AUTHORITIES' INACTIONS
(Sacramento Bee) - By Batey Relief Alliance, Inc.

ANSE-A-PITRES - As part of its "Women Empowerment" program activities financed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Haiti's Southeast Department border communes of Thiotte, Grand Gosier and Anse-a-Pitres, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) organized a three-day action meeting from February 9 to 11, 2012 aiming to create a democratic platform for women to exercise their rights to organize and hold elected officials accountable.

Attended by one of the country's most senior Senators, Joseph Lambert and Deputies Patrick Robasson and Jean Demarattes, 2,567 angry women presented a clear picture of their poor socio-economic, and health conditions, and demanded a more active involvement from the politicians to help reverse the status quo, including better access to quality health care (essential medicines and better-trained health providers), potable water, credit, coffee fertilizers and employment; and the strengthening of laws that protect women against domestic violence, and force men to respect their paternal responsibility.

The representatives urged the women to continue working together in order to be more effective in their claims. They committed to participate more actively in resolving community issues and congratulated BRA for its participatory democratic initiative through which, women can organize, identify issues of concern, and take actions that improve their living conditions. The parliamentarians promised to introduce new bills against violence against women; equip government health clinics with nurses; create new drinking water systems; distribute 200 bags of fertilizers; and integrate the women into new microcredit programs.

For more information on BRA's many projects in Haiti or the Dominican Republic, visit our website and donate online at www.bateyrelief.org . For regular updates, follow/like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Batey.Relief.Alliance ) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/bateyrelief ).