Haiti - Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Treaty

This report examines Haiti’s obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, highlighting systemic obstacles that undermine civic participation. Pervasive economic constraints, gender inequalities, and entrenched gang violence have severely weakened democratic engagement.

Key concerns include (1) the cycle of turmoil preventing civic education, as economic hardship and linguistic barriers limit access to schooling, stifling young people’s ability to engage in democratic processes; (2) the lack of meaningful gender equality, with legal provisions for female political participation remaining largely unimplemented, leaving women vastly underrepresented in decision-making; and (3) the entrenchment of gang violence, which, exacerbated by elite complicity, has created a climate of fear, further suppressing political participation and undermining election integrity.

This report urges the Haitian government to expand access to civic education, ensure the full inclusion of women in political decision-making, and take decisive action to sever ties between gangs and political elites to uphold its ICCPR commitments.