What Role for Women in our Communities?

Sunday, October 23, 2005

A reflection from UNIF’s female students

It is clear that women play a central role in our communities. Looking back at Haiti’s past, we see that women have often been limited by their lack of opportunity in terms of education. As a result of this limitation, men have come to play a dominant role in our society in certain domains, especially in business and politics.

Today, we are experiencing a change in the place of women in Haitian society. As we see with the current elections, it is possible for women to run competitively in political races. As is evident from the number of women in UNIF’s founding class, it is possible for women to go to university and work for the future of this country. Rather than accepting the lot of their communities, Haitian women are forming associations to transform them. In recognition of the perils of a society in transition, women come together to protect the rights of other women. Women can become presidents of organizations, managers of businesses, and leaders of communities.