On Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Hotel Montana in Pétion-Ville, the Ministry of the Status of Women launched a series of consultations with political parties and groups aimed at strengthening women's participation in the upcoming elections.

Held under the theme "For at least 30% female participation in the electoral process: political parties commit alongside the Ministry," this first day of consultations brought together representatives from several political entities, including Konbit Nasyonal (KONA), represented by former Senator Joseph Lambert; the *Organisation du Peuple en Lutte* (OPL), represented by former Deputy Ketel Jean Phillipe; as well as representatives from the DEBLOKE party, LAPEH, and the An Avan Pou Ayiti group.

In her opening remarks, the Minister of the Status of Women, Pedrica Saint Jean, welcomed the mobilization of representatives from political parties and groups and emphasized the importance of their commitment to increasing women's participation in political life. She notably highlighted that women's access to decision-making spheres is a crucial factor in strengthening democracy and national representation.

Attorney Mosler Georges then gave a presentation on the new electoral decree and its key provisions designed to foster women's participation. The session provided an opportunity to examine twelve key articles of the decree, highlighting the opportunities available to women as well as the responsibilities of political parties and groups regarding the identification, support, and guidance of female candidates.

Discussions also focused on the strategies to prioritize for facilitating the identification, registration, positioning, and protection of female candidates. Participants identified several persistent obstacles to their political participation, notably the difficulties in recruiting female candidates, insufficient financial and logistical support, insecurity, and the weight of social perceptions that continue to limit women's access to positions of political responsibility.

Representatives of political organizations also emphasized the need to strengthen women's leadership and build a pool of qualified women capable of assuming elected office and entering decision-making spheres.

The day concluded with a summary of the discussions and the identification of next steps.

On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, building on the discussions held the previous day, the Ministry of the Status of Women continued its series of consultations with political parties and groups regarding women's full and effective participation in the upcoming elections.

This second day brought together, among others, the Ayiti An Avan (AAA) party, represented by former Senator Youri Latortue; the COPPOS-Haïti & Allies political group, represented by former Minister-Delegate Patrick Sully Joseph; the Delivrans party, represented by the former Director of the National School Canteen Program, Djina Guillet Delatour; a representative from "Engagés pour le Développement" (EDE); and the KAPAB political group.

Pedrica Saint Jean, the Minister of the Status of Women, emphasized the importance of women's presence in national political life. She highlighted that their participation is a key aspect of the democratic process, even as various obstacles to their access to electoral processes persist.

The Minister indicated that these consultations serve as a forum for dialogue with political stakeholders to better understand these challenges and to collaboratively identify mechanisms through which the Ministry can support women wishing to run as candidates in the upcoming elections.

The discussions also addressed the legal framework of the electoral process. To this end, Attorney Mosler Georges presented the key provisions of the new electoral decree https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-48085-haiti-flash-2026-2027-electoral-calendar-latest-official-version.html regarding women's participation, placing particular emphasis on Articles 22, 27, 30, 37, 45, 108, 114, 122, 139, 140, 142, and 158.

This presentation sparked discussions with representatives of political parties and groupings regarding the decree's provisions and the conditions necessary for women to participate more effectively in the upcoming elections.

Following two days of consultations, the Ministry will continue the process this Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with the participation of other political parties and groupings. This final day will conclude the series of meetings dedicated to strengthening women's participation in political and electoral life.

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre