Michaëlle Jean, the Special Envoy of UNESCO, will be in Haiti from that Tuesday, March 6, 2012, to show solidarity with the women in Haiti while she will close on March 8, International Women's Day (IWD), the National Forum on the issue of Haitian women, that will bring together nearly 600 women from 144 municipalities of the country. The National Forum will allow to identify the political tracks that will constitute the specifications of the Minister for Women and women's rights in Haiti, Marie Yanick Mézil. The Minister has committed during his tenure to strengthen the financial independence of women, to initiate pilot projects fighting against the feminization of poverty, in addition to promoting women's rights.

The Special Envoy of UNESCO, recognizes that with the recent resignation of Prime Minister Garry Conille, the country is once again plunged into a political crisis that only delays the economic recovery and, consequently, places women in a vulnerable position even more.

Michaëlle Jean joined her voice to all those who, in Haiti and abroad, call the President, Parliament and Cabinet members to take the country out of this impasse which destabilizes the functioning of institutions and undermines the confidence of donors and investors.

"Every servant of the state, regardless of their role within the democratic system, must favor the absolute interest of the Nation to ensure the welfare of citizens. The population has nothing to do with these fratricidal battles," declared Jean, who expects of these elected officials "an accountable governance that will ensure a stable environment, the strengthening of country's institutions and economic development."

The Special Envoy will take the pulse of the situation in the course of its meetings during her stay with several government members. She will meet with Mr. Reginald Paul among others, the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, to discuss the 2010-2015 Operational Plan for Education that has been approved by his government. This roadmap for education has been supported by UNESCO. The international organization will assist the Government in the actions to conduct for the implementation of this approach. Jean will also participate on March 7 to the launch of Haïti-Éduc'2012, the first in a series of meetings organized by the Groupe de réflexion et d’action pour une Haïti nouvelle (GRAHN), which includes hundreds of Haitians, whether resident or from the diaspora, who seek to contribute to the articulation of the framework of the reconstruction in Haiti.

HL/ HaitiLibre