Friday, the President Michel Martelly, has proceeded officially, at the inauguration of the new premises of the Public Centre of Documentation and of Data management on gender issues in Haiti of the Directorate of Legal Affairs of the Ministry for the Status of Women and Women's Rights (MCFDF). These new premises funded by the Government of Haiti to the tune of pproximately 9 million Gourdes was built by two local firms.

The ceremony took place in the presence of government officials, parliamentarians, former Minister for Women's Affairs and Women's Rights, the roving ambassador of Haitian women, representatives of the diplomatic corps and representatives of organization for the Defense of Women's Rights.

he Head of State in his speech, reiterated the importance of women in Haitian society and promised to accompany this Directorate in order to enable it to fulfill its task to work for the respect and enjoyment of all the rights of the woman "I undertake to always fulfill the promises I have made to Haitian women during my campaign," noting that women hold more than 44% of positions in the government.

The President also insisted on the actions taken by his administration in order to establish this Directorate, provided in the Organic Law of the Ministry, but nonexistent for 18 years. He also appealed to women to continue to lead the struggle for the establishment of a genuine rule of law in Haiti "I express the wish to see respected the rights of women and see them represented in large numbers to the highest levels of government."

For her part, Mrs. Yanick Mézil, Minister for the Status of Women and Women's Rights, recalled the objectives of this Directorate which is called to strengthen the legal action of the Ministry against all forms of abuse or violation exercised against women. She mentioned the importance of this first Public Centre of Documentation and Data Management on gender issue in Haiti and thanked all those who worked on the realization of this construction.

HL/ HaitiLibre