As part of its 10 years of existence, the Ministry of Planning's Poverty and Social Exclusion Observation Unit (UOPES) recently organized a day of activities on poverty and social exclusion in Haiti.

In his intervention, Me Stevenson Jacques Thimoléon, the Director General of the Ministry of Planning explained the need for effective poverty reduction policies and good governance based on four pillars: access to housing, access to education and training, access to employment and a stable income, access to health.

He insisted on remaining vigilant in the face of the various forms of poverty, especially those of being deprived of certain rights adding "Poverty and social exclusion are everywhere and it is our duty to find ways and means to combat them". He urged UOPES to continue the work of highlighting the contours of poverty and social exclusion in the country in order to better guide investment in public policy.

Pierre Jorès Mérat coordinator of the UOPES explained that with the creation of this organization Haiti has made the phenomena of Poverty and social exclusion a national priority. He underlined a lack of popularization of the studies of the UOPES but also the efforts that are deployed in this direction, thanking the support of the various state and private entities, the technical and financial partners for the realization of about sixty studies throughout the 10 years of existence of this organization.

Participants' interventions, exhibition of studies, panels of discussions and cultural interludes composed the program of the day. In a first panel of renowned economists have presented research on poverty and social exclusion since the 1990s in Haiti. On the other hand, the representatives of the Social Insurance Fund (CAS), Fondasyon Kole Zepòl (FONKOZE) and the National Food Security Coordination (CNSA) animated a second panel on taking charge of poverty in Haiti.

Created in 2008 UOPES (formerly National Observatory of Poverty and Social Exclusion - ONPES) is an organization through which the Ministry of Planning observes and defines the contours of the phenomena of poverty and social exclusion in Haiti.

HL/ HaitiLibre