Haiti

With a population of 9.5 million, Haiti is the second most densely populated country in the western hemisphere, in addition to being the poorest. Seventy-eight percent of the population live below US$ 2 per day, underemployment is estimated at approximately 60% and political stability is fragile. The formation of a new government following the dismissal of the Prime Minister in 2008 has been slow and difficult. Since 2004, a UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSTAH) has overseen security and been training a local police force.

Addressing these social, economic and political vulnerabilities requires urgent attention to expanding income generation opportunities for Haitians. The garment assembly sector, which comprises approximately 24 factories and employs some 26,000 workers, is considered as a potential engine of growth and employment. In this respect, the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) approved by the US Congress initiated support efforts to expand the industry in Haiti by extending duty-free treatment of textiles, apparel and other goods until 2018. Labour standards compliance was included as a prerequisite of this legislation. In addition, the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act passed by the US Congress in the wake of the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti will expand duty-free access to the US market for additional Haitian textile and apparel exports, and extend existing trade preference programmes for the country through 2020.

29 factories are now registered for Better Work Haiti, an increase from the initial industry estimate of 23 in the Port-au-Prince area. The programme has been implementing assessment and advisory services in participating factories, following the six-month cycle established in the country. Advisory services in factories have primarily been targeting occupational safety and health (OSH) issues.

For more information on Better Work Haiti, please contact:

Better Work Haiti
119 Juvenat #5
Petion-ville, Haiti
Tel: +509 2 816 2647, Fax: +509 2 816 2646
Email: haiti@betterwork.org

Better Work Haiti is funded by the United States Department of Labor. Funding for additional activities is provided by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.