HAITI

Inclusive Voter Education in Haiti  

Haiti has a population of 10.1 million with an estimated 1.5 million persons with disabilities (PwD’s) according to WHO’s estimation level of 15%. Haiti ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 25 July 2009 and as such provides due recognition to the inclusion of PwD’s in electoral and political process.

Voter Education for PwD’s in Haiti

Haiti embarked upon a simple yet very effective system of civic and voter education for the PwD’s through attractive posters, signage’s in collaboration and support from the International Foundation For Electoral Systems (IFES) under civic education series in 2015 before presidential and legislative elections. The series covers the electoral process stepwise with a clear message for inclusion and encourages the PwD voters to join the electoral process. Some of the posters are as follows: 

 Pre election period:

All Our Voices Count’

With a view to demonstrate inclusion at the time of presidential election in Oct 2015, the Provisional Electoral Council of Haiti (CEP) issued a poster encouraging all voters including persons with disabilities to join the electoral process. The poster in simple terms coveys the message of inclusion and accessibility in an attractive manner.

 Go Vote:

An educative poster captioned ‘Go Vote!’ was produced by local artist Jerry Bourisquot. The poster conveys an illustrative message to the PwD voters to join the voting process. The poster given below is self explanatory and decisively encouraging to the targeted population.

Go Vote!

Nov 2015 

At the Election Time: Arriving to Vote

An illustrative poster produced by local artist Jerry Bourisquot under the civic education series at the time of presidential and legislative elections in the country in Oct 2015 demonstrates inclusion and access. The poster conveys clearly the help that would be available to PwD’s to facilitate entry to the polling station. 

At the Election Time: Voting by All Citizens

An educative poster produced by local artist Jerry Bourisquot under the civic education series at the time of presidential and legislative elections in the country in Oct 2015 reflects inclusion. The poster conveys very clearly the equal opportunity, in presence of Election Observer, to all the voters including PwD’s inside the polling station during the elections in the country. 

Post Voting Period: Counting of Votes

The poster produced by the PEC and IFES (Jan 2016) in Haitian Creole explains the process that follows after the ballot has been cast. The poster shows PwD’s working as polling/counting workers for processing the polled ballots. While it demonstrates the inclusion at all stages of electoral process, it also builds confidence in PwD’s that information on inclusion has been recorded correctly.