Last week, the New York Times ran an article about the relationship between hunger and insecurity, with considerable attention given to Haiti.  It notes the food rioting, the mud cookies, and the desperation that comes from not being able to feed onself and one's family.  Hunger is not new to Haiti.  While this article has raised awareness about hunger in Haiti, it does not go into why or offer up solutions which is unfortunate.

Is development really sustainable without security? It’s the component of development in Haiti that is most often overlooked by the larger international and governmental development agencies. Is a maturing civil society possible when the security situation continues to get worse? The security situation seems to be at a plateau now and could improve or deteriorate. Now is a good time for us to look for answers. Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti are interesting comparison studies as we discuss this issue. Read more »

With a climate of growing insecurity and increasing violence in Haiti today, women are facing insurmountable challenges. In Haiti, women are looked upon as a form of social protection or glue for their family. In fact, they support a large majority of Haiti’s economic activities in the non-formal sector which makes up 75% of Haiti’s economy. Read more »

In what is hopefully a sign that stability and security are beginning to return to Haiti, this week the US Embassy announced that they have given clearance for all personnel to return to post. I realize that considering elections are just about a month away, I should be running to find some wood to knock on. But, perhaps this is an indication that after a shaky start, the UN forces are finally doing their jobs, the Haitian National Police force is gaining strength, and the Haitian people are committed to ending the violence and civil unrest. Read more »