Sophia Martelly, the First Lady of the Republic, attended, Tuesday, April 3, 2012, to the Town Hall of Delmas, to the delivery of plaques of honor by the Ministry for Women's Affairs and Women's Rights (MCFDF) to 16 women activists and groups of Haitian women, for their contribution to the struggle of Haitian women and its empowerment.

The ceremony took place in presence of Wilson Jeudy, the mayor of Delmas, representatives of organizations and cooperation agencies and members of feminist organizations.

The evening of tribute coincides with the National Day of Haitian women, commemorative date of the the great ascension of the Haitian feminist movement in 1986, when, to abdicate to the various prohibitions that were imposed to them by the system of that time, about 300,000 Haitian women, led by the Women's League of Social Action, had took a public stance to defend their rights and demand the social and political equality.

The First Lady praised the courage of the Haitian women. Their enthusiasm, which according to her, gives confidence in a society finally free of gender stereotypes.

While inviting the women to stand firm and be optimistic about the results of their efforts, Sophia Martelly emphasized on the necessity of an action without delay against all forms of discrimination against women. "It is necessary that this changes, but especially this must stop"

HL/ HaitiLibre