18554: Arthur: more on the USAID Haiti Democracy Programme (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Charles Arthur writes:

In view of the current situation in Haiti, has the USAID Haiti Democracy
Programme been a success?

Extracts from the USAID/Haiti ANNUAL REPORT FY 2003
Written: 3/13/2003 Published July 2003:
(Please note these are extracts from the USAID - I did not write them)


In democracy USAID is providing critical training and other types of
assistance, including some commodities, to civil society organizations, the
independent media, and political parties. FY 2002 saw the arrival in country of over
$500,000 in equipment for about 40 independent community radio outlets scattered
throughout Haiti. The equipment is being distributed this year and used to
broadcast civiceducation messages being developed under the same activity. In
addition, after experiencing initial start-up delays, programs to strengthen
political parties will soon be getting underway in earnest. Another program is
helping to build coalitions for judicial reform among Haiti’s many civic
organizations, e.g., business associations, human rights groups, religious
organizations, and labor unions. All of these activities are designed to help Haitian
society stand up to increasing authoritarianism and lawlessness and to demand
greater accountability and better performance by the Haitian Government.

Pillar IIII: Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance

521-005 Genuinely Inclusive Democratic Governance
USAID Objective 2: Encourage credible and competitive political processes

The program continues to promote the influence of civil society and, at the
same time, lay the groundwork for new political leadership. Despite massive
reductions in assistance to civil society organizations, approximately 150 civil
society
organizations with over 3800 participants continue to receive civic education
training to learn how to effectively engage with their government officials
on community improvement activities. This activities are part of our effort
to cultivate political leadership for a new democratic Haiti.


521-005 Genuinely Inclusive Democratic Governance
USAID Objective 3: Promote the development of politically active civil society

To promote the development of politically active civil society, the civil
society is engaged with the government; dialogues organized between the two were
conducted. A year-to-year content analysis of the print media suggests a
significant rise in the number of news-making civil society organizations and the
activity level of CSOs, from 275 stories on CSO actions in FY01 to 402 stories
in the period FY02. The bulk of the increase is due to an upsurge in
politically-charged events such as the unresolved political impasse, increase in human
rights abuses, and flagrant government corruption, which have prompted a
sustained
outcry from civil society.