Haïti

A demonstration project implemented by the Haitian government in Gonaïves (from March 2006 to June 2007), financed by UNDP and WFP, and for which technical assistance was exceptionally provided and financed by the ILO, showed that “contractual arrangements” with local community organizations were relevant for environmental protection and further deterioration of eroded catchments.

This EIIP approach shows a good example of strengthening local technical capacity, organization, negotiation and management of local organizations. The project thus contributed to set up a model combining at the same time the concern of employment creation and income generation for local population, and environmental protection and prevention of natural disasters. This model can now be easily reproduced at broad scale or in other areas supported by the government or other development partners.

In addition, these types of employment-intensive investments, not only facilitate the transition from the emergency phase to the development phase, but also respond to the government strategy related to local infrastructure reconstruction and reinforcement of capacities for actors from the public and private sectors and local communities.

With a large scale program, it is possible to create more sustainable jobs and to reach social organizations responsible for maintaining investments made in soil and water conservation as part of environmental protection. A second important phase, for two years, is now financed by the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the UNDP and WFP from July 2007, executed by the Haitian Government with the ILO technical support.

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