Haiti: From recovery to sustainable development

On 12th January 2010 a devastating earthquake hit Haiti. More than 200,000 people were killed, 1.5 million were displaced, and over 300,000 buildings were destroyed in the 7.0 magnitude quake.

Since then, Haiti has successfully pulled through the humanitarian recovery phase and seen significant socio-economic gains. The country has steadily boosted the net enrollment rate in primary education and achieved equal participation of boys and girls. The number of underweight children under five years old has been halved, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS has stabilized, and nearly 70 percent of households now have access to an improved source of water. Achievements like these seemed impossible in early 2010.

Yet as Haiti moves toward long-term, sustainable development, the country faces significant challenges. 60 percent of Haitians live on less than $2.50 a day. The political system remains fragile, sustainable jobs are scarce, and the environment is still as vulnerable now as it was then.

UNDP support

UNDP is focusing on long-term support, to help build a structurally sound, resilient and sustainable Haiti. Governance, disaster risk reduction, and environmental protection are at the heart of our work, in concert with the Haitian people, elected officials, the private sector and the international community. Through 39 projects, 335 people and an annual budget of over USD $35 million, UNDP is creating thousands of jobs and increasing its reconstruction efforts and support to community planning.

Governance and Rule of Law

Thirty percent of Haitian civil servants were lost in the earthquake, so increasing capacity and human resources for public administration is a priority. UNDP aims to boost efficiency, with a particular focus on justice, elections and regional and urban planning. In 2014, nearly 200 judges and clerks received training on gender-based violence and investigative and court registry techniques. More than 100 electoral officials attended a workshop that explored issues of electoral administration, gender equity and access for people with disabilities in the political and electoral processes, and sustainable solutions for free, fair and transparent elections.

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