Updating the national action plan for human rights, a priority for the government

26 May 2023

Updating the national action plan for human rights, a priority for the government

On May 16, the inter-ministerial human rights committee (CIDP) convened representatives of governmental, international, and local organizations working in the field of human rightsto come together and update the draft National Human Rights Action Plan.Under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s office, the CIDP, composed of representatives from different ministries, is responsible for supporting the government in fulfilling its human rights commitments.

The plan, initially drafted in 2019 but never adopted bythe Council of Ministers, needed updating to reflect the reality of the human rights situation in Haiti, as well as Haiti’s acceptance of 205 recommendations made by the Human Rights Council in January 2022 as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).“This event represents definite progress towards the approval of this action plan. It’s an opportunity to strengthen the coordination between human rights actors in Haiti and their commitment to human rights”, said Arnaud Gustave Royer, Director of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights in Haiti, in his remarks at the opening of the session. 

Introductory remarksby representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Office for the Protection of the Citizen, and the OHCHR,highlighted the severity of the human rights crisis in Haiti, including an increased number of people killed, injured, and kidnapped as a result of gang violence, as well as a general lack of social, cultural, and economic rights. The speakers also noted the government’s responsibility to respect, promote, and guarantee human rights, and expressed hope that the subsequent workshop would result in concrete actions.

Five thematic working groups were established inter aliaon gender and women's rights, right to health and children's rights, ratification of international human rights conventions, justice, and human trafficking. At the end of the event, recommendations were compiled and will be included in the new draft version of the plan.

Once finalized, the draftwill be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval.Advocacy efforts by the CIDP and OHCHR, in collaboration with other organizations, will promote its acceptance and eventual implementation.