Founded in August 2009, Mouvement pour l’Intégration et l’Émancipation des Femmes Handicapées – MIEFH (Movement for the Integration and Emancipation of Women with Disabilities) promotes the training, education, and social inclusion of women and girls with disabilities to eliminate discrimination and exclusion. MIEFH empowers women and girls with disabilities in Haiti’s Nord Department and fights against gender-based violence (GBV). This Haitian movement is among the second wave of organizations awarded grants by the XOESE Fund as part of the Feminists in Action project.
This article introduces the history of this unique organization and its innovative project, which has caught the XOESE Fund’s attention.
THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES IN HAITI
All over Haiti, people with disabilities face multi-faceted discrimination, regardless of their social status, and their relatives and community often fail to respect their rights. Even those with complete professional training struggle to find a job due to their disability, and companies often consider them a hindrance. Many disabled young women drop out of school early and resort to begging or living off their parents or spouses. Moreover, these women face many forms of violence. MIEFH is one of the few Haitian organizations involved in defending their rights and helps them gain autonomy “so that they no longer depend on anyone,” as MIEFH coordinator Régine Marie Tessa Zéphirin DIEGUE explained.
She adds that in Haiti, feminists are usually perceived as men’s rivals and “home wreckers,” with some men believing that feminists are a threat to their traditional status and power. They are afraid of losing dominance and control of the domestic, professional, or social scene, which creates considerable tension and reinforces a barrier to the development of women’s leadership. Nevertheless, feminist networks are springing up to consolidate Haiti’s feminist community and promote women’s rights, contributing to the global movement for women’s emancipation. MIEFH is a member of two feminist networks, Je m’engage Haïti and the 3 Avril collective.
ACHIEVEMENTS BY MIEFH
Over its 14 years of experience at the grassroots level, MIEFH has been a key player in training hundreds of young girls and women, including mothers of disabled children, offering training in business skills, work skills, and other areas such as cooking. Some women with disabilities successfully found a job thanks to the organization.
Another focus of MIEFH is educating and schooling disabled women and girls. To date, MIEFH has trained around 300 women. The impact of their various projects on the lives of women with disabilities is remarkable. Indeed, many beneficiaries are gaining greater autonomy through income-generating activities.
PROJECT “VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES,” SUPPORTED BY THE XOESE FUND AND THE FIA PROJECT
In the context of the Feminists in Action program, MIEFH’s project financed by the XOESE Fund is a milestone in its fight for the economic empowerment of women with disabilities. MIEFH aims to train 20 women in make-up, screen-printing and crocheting. The movement chose these skills specifically given the outstanding artistic boom and high demand in Haiti’s Nord department as of the summer of 2022.
Due to the growing insecurity in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, many activities have relocated to the Nord department, particularly Cap-Haïtien. MIEFH believes this shift is a unique opportunity to cater to the growing demand in these artistic areas. The movement wants to capitalize on this trend to help increase the economic independence of women with disabilities while giving them a chance to join a booming economic niche.
MIEFH will also offer psycho-social support throughout the project, with the understanding that economic empowerment is not limited to making money but also covers the mental and emotional well-being of disabled women. By offering holistic support, MIEFH boosts its beneficiaries’ confidence and personal development.
In a nutshell, the “Movement for the Integration and Emancipation of Women with Disabilities” is dedicated to the fight against the oppression and harassment of women with disabilities and to promoting accessibility to help them get around. This pioneering project, supported by the XOESE Fund, allows MIEFH to actively encourage the creation of economic opportunities for women with disabilities to flourish and become more independent.