As part of the celebration of World Habitat Day in Haiti (Oct. 1), two organizations of the Civil Society, the Haitian Network of Healthy Housing (RHHS) and the "Collective Defenders Plus" proceeded to an assessment of the housing sector and stressed the need for a national policy for its development.

According to René Dormessant, Coordinator of the RHHS, Haiti currently has a deficit of over 500,000 housing, , stressing the need to analyze these needs and the demands of urbanization, which according to a recent study by the World Bank has increased on average by 5% per year in Haiti, without investments in infrastructure adapted to this growth. Moreover, this study emphasizes that the uncontrolled growth of cities increases the vulnerability of populations to major natural hazards and that most Haitians live in houses they have built themselves, without adequate technical supervision.

For its part, the "Collective Defenders Plus" deplores the systematic violations of the right to housing guaranteed by the Constitution, as well as the proliferation of shantytowns, the anarchic creation of new communes, indicators of the failure of a policy of this sector. The Collective criticizes the lack of a housing policy in the Government's priorities and recalls that the Constitution recognizes the right to decent housing.

"Strengthening institutions capable of providing basic services to the Haitian population, such as drinking water distribution, electricity and waste management, is a real challenge for Haitian leaders," said the two organizations.

HL/ HaitiLibre