Red Cross Helping Recovery in Haiti at Three-Year Anniversary

Donations to American Red Cross Helping Recovery in Haiti at Three-Year Anniversary of Earthquake

Three years since the Haiti earthquake, hundreds of thousands of people are living in safer homes and have improved access to water and health services thanks to the generous donations to the American Red Cross.

In an update on progress made since the magnitude 7.0 quake shook Haiti on January 12, 2010, the Red Cross described the emergency relief it provided after the earthquake, the eventual transition from relief to recovery, and the steps being taken toward building healthier and more resilient communities. The three-year report can be found at www.redcross.org/Haiti.

“The past year, we have worked to make progress permanent by ensuring people can leave camps and return to stable communities. This work included building new homes, repairing quake-damaged homes, helping to complete a new hospital and a clinic and signing an agreement for a second hospital,” said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross.

“We are also getting Haiti better prepared to face future threats, and we saw a positive impact from our efforts to support disaster preparedness in camps when Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy passed over the country within just months of each other,” McGovern said. “Early warning and evacuation systems saved lives and property, and the Red Cross was there immediately afterward to provide quick assistance to those affected by the storms.”

As part of its goal to help people move out of camps, the American Red Cross has assisted

40th anniversary of the founding of the AMHE For a Better Haiti

Thomas C. Adams
Haiti Special Coordinator
"This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the AMHE, the beginning of decades of engagement for a better Haiti. Later today, which is World AIDS Day, your organization will pay tribute to seven individuals with long and distinguished records in the fight against that disease. It is a privilege to be part of this event, and I thank you for that.
I would like to give a brief overview of the efforts of the U.S. government, in partnership with Haitians, to implement health and development programs in Haiti, and to underscore the valuable contribution you in the Diaspora make toward a healthier Haiti. I will try to leave time for a few questions following my remarks.
Just two days ago, speaking in recognition of Worlds AIDS Day, Secretary of State Clinton noted that “We will promote a global effort to achieve an AIDS-free generation, because this must be a shared responsibility.” Donor nations, country partners, multilateral organizations, the private sector, civil society – including faith-based organizations – all have a role to play in the HIV/AIDS response. Launched in 2003, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is the largest effort by any nation to combat a single disease. PEPFAR progress is measured by lives improved and saved around the world – including in Haiti.
As the members of the AMHE well know, Haiti continues to present unique challenges to the successful implementation of health and other development programs in the face of the 2010 earthquake, the cholera outbreak, and the limited, though growing, capacity of Haitian institutions.
Statistics bear this out. Haiti has an HIV prevalence rate of 1.9 percent and a population of 10 million. Although low in comparison to many PEPFAR countries, this prevalence rate is the highest in the Americas, where the average is less than 1 percent. Haiti’s HIV/AIDS epidemic is generalized, with higher prevalence rates in major cities and driven by most at risk populations – such as commercial sex workers and men having sex with men – and the social conditions of women and youth. Of Haiti’s estimated 135,000 HIV infected individuals, the Ministry of Health estimates that 56 percent of individuals with immediate need for antiretroviral, or ARV, therapy receive it; 20 percent of the general population has access to counseling and testing; and 61 percent of pregnant women get tested for HIV. There is a high level of stigmatization towards HIV positive individuals in the country, especially at the community level.
Nevertheless, through our efforts, we can also point to more positive numbers in Haiti:
41,000 individuals with HIV/AIDS were receiving antiretroviral treatment as of September 30, 2012;
128,000 eligible adults and children were provided with a minimum of one care service in FY 2012;
44,400 orphans and vulnerable children were served by an orphan and vulnerable children program in FY 2012; and, finally
626,000 individuals had received testing and counseling services for HIV and received their test results in FY 2012.

U.S. Government's Work in Haiti: Gender-based Violence

Addressing Challenges

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a chronic problem in Haiti. The risk of violence and sexual exploitation against women and girls, exacerbated by political instability and the economic crises, likely increased following the earthquake. The United Nations and human rights organizations reported increased incidence of rape in the months immediately after the earthquake; women and girls who continue to live in precarious conditions are particularly vulnerable.

Promoting women’s empowerment and reducing GBV are critical to Haiti’s development; and combating GBV is a priority for the U.S. Government (USG). Effectively addressing GBV requires immediate action to improve security and support survivors as well as sustained engagement to reduce vulnerability through legislative action, community outreach, and economic empowerment. The weakness of the Haitian justice system makes it difficult for GBV survivors to find redress; the fear of reprisals and social stigma attached to being a victim of sexual violence contributes to underreporting; and a lack of comprehensive baseline data makes strategic response planning more difficult. To tackle these challenges, the USG is working with the Government of Haiti (GOH), Haitian civil society (including many women-led organizations), and the international community to address pressing needs as well as provide support for long-term GBV prevention.

Ambassador Melanne S. Verveer Travels to Haiti

Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer will travel to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, November 25-26, to engage with Haitian women business owners, civil society, government officials, and private sector leaders to highlight the importance of women’s and girls’ economic, political, and social advancement to Haiti’s development and progress. On November 25, Ambassador Verveer and U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Pamela White will join a roundtable discussion with Government of Haiti officials and local non-government organizations on US-Haitian efforts to address and respond to trafficking in persons.

The two Ambassadors will also announce new efforts to support Haitian women’s economic empowerment at an event attended by Haitian economic, government, and civic leaders, Haitian graduates from the U.S. Department of State and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship Partnership, and representatives of Dell and Thunderbird for Good. During meetings on November 26, Ambassador Verveer will highlight U.S. support for Haitian law enforcement efforts to address gender-based violence and visit a USAID-funded women’s leadership program at the Women Empowered to Lead and Advocate for Development (WE-LEAD) Center. Ambassador Verveer will conclude her trip with an event focused on women’s leadership hosted by First Lady of Haiti Sophia Martelly.

For further information contact: SGWI_PA@state.gov.