Sunday at a reception held in her residence, Sandra Honoré, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Haiti, paid tribute to the dynamism, courage and commitment of Haitian women with their families, their communities and at all levels of society for the benefit of the country.

Over 200 guests attended the reception including: government ministers, senior diplomats, representatives of civil society, activists for gender equality, members of the UN family, leading women entrepreneurs as well as key figures in Haitian culture.

In her welcoming remarks, Ms. Honore stressed how women are "the backbone of this society. Each of them, each of you here, with its vision and his own projects contributes to a more stable Haiti, more prosperous and equitable. Women are economic development officers and in this respect, gender equality is an imperative for development," advocating for the full and effective participation of Haitian women at all levels of decision making in the political, economic and public life and to ensure the respect of a minimum quota of 30% women at all levels of national life , particularly in public services, as provided by the Haitian Constitution.

During the reception, many women of different socioeconomic and cultural sectors in Haiti were able to present their work to the guests. Mrs Honoré paid tribute to the contribution of women entrepreneurs to the Haitian economy "Each product presentation represents the creativity and innovation of our guests, each is also the result of heavy work and self-sacrifice. And this work is to create jobs and progress for the country as a whole. Whether we are male or female, because 'Gason Kore fi', by admiring their creations, we can say with them 'Mwen se yon fanm ayisien'."

HL/ HaitiLibre