Haiti's recovery: CARE calls for substantial, sustained commitment from international community

- At International Donors' Conference, CARE Highlights Education, Violence Prevention, Needs of Women and Girls -

At this week's International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti (March 31, 2010), CARE will urge the international community to ensure all Haitians have a chance to rebuild their country anew. Women and girls, in particular, will be at the heart of CARE's policy recommendations to address Haiti's recovery, reconstruction and long-term development needs as donor countries, international organizations and other partners gather to pledge resources and commit to long-term efforts in Haiti following the devastating January earthquake.

CARE calls for a substantial and sustained commitment from the international community to support the government and people of Haiti through:

• recognized ownership of the recovery process by the Haitian government, Haitian civil society and the Haitian Diaspora;
• prioritization of community-level development and the needs of women and children such as addressing gender-based violence; health needs of women; women's access to land-tenure, property rights and legal identity documents; and education for Haiti's children;
• investment in the local production of agriculture;
• full cancellation of Haiti's remaining debt and adequate financing in the form of grants;
• equitable and regionally balanced recovery efforts;
• and, flexibility on the timetable to spend relief funds in order to avoid rushed and inappropriate responses from donors.

"While we must deliver life-saving aid to those impacted by this devastating earthquake, we also must address the reconstruction of Haiti in the long term," said Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE. "This means working with the people and government of Haiti on sustainable programs that strike at the root causes of poverty, such as education for Haiti's children and addressing the health needs of women and girls. We also must ensure that adequate funding is available to support these efforts."

CARE and other nongovernmental organizations are urging U.S. Congress to provide $3.9 billion to support Haiti's long-term recovery efforts as well as responses to other international crises around the world.

CARE has been working in Haiti since 1954. It has a five-year, $100 million plan for helping rebuild the country that focuses on women and girls and includes:

• In the short-term, CARE distributed food, PUR^® water purification packets, water, jerry cans, hygiene kits, shelter kits, emergency housing repair kits, mattresses, blankets, newborn kits and clean delivery kits. To date CARE has reached nearly 300,000 people in Haiti, with many of its distributions targeted at women, who are more likely to distribute the resources to their families.
• In the medium-term (now through January 2011), CARE is strengthening health programming; providing economic opportunities, transitional shelter and school kits; and raising awareness about the prevention of gender-based violence.
• In the long-term, CARE will focus on earthquake-resistant construction, rehabilitation of water systems and reconstruction of schools and health systems.

SOURCE CARE