Digital Democracy

Empowering Marginalized Communities with Digital Technologies

Empowering Women in Haiti:

Harnessing Technology to Address Gender-Based Violence
Port-au-Prince, Haiti: Hard-hit by the January
earthquake, women and girls are now facing a
second disaster. With millions displaced from their
homes and living in camps, there is a dramatic rise of
gender-based violence. One grassroots group,
Commission of Women Victims for Victims
(KOFAVIV) documented and responded to 230 cases
of rape in just 15 camps between January and
March, 2010. Yet because there are no official
statistics on the incidence of sexual violence in Haiti,
critical resources and services are not being directed
to the women who need them most.

Our Response
To address the complex issue of gender-based
violence in Haiti, Digital Democracy is adapting our
award-winning system, Handheld Human Rights, to
document, respond to and prevent incidents of
violence. Working with grassroots women leaders
and a coalition of medical, legal and psycho-service
providers, we are harnessing technology to provide
security to women in the camps, focusing on three
areas:
1. Equipping women and girls on the front lines with
the communications tools and technical training to Photo by Madeline, member of KOFAVIV
address violence in the camps, linking a pilot group of 60 women via SMS.
2. Establishing a call center to respond to emergencies, creating a comprehensive database
and map of the hardest-hit areas.
3. Facilitating ongoing photography, video and computer trainings to support advocacy efforts.

Our Goal
Until their security situation improves, Haitian women and girls cannot fully participate in the social,
economic and political spheres of their communities. By placing their needs on a map and helping
women themselves respond to the violence, we seek to more broadly equip our partners with the
training and confidence they need to fully participate in building Haiti back better.

Our Partners
Our international and local partners include: The Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti and
its local affiliate the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, Partners in Health and its local affiliate
Zanmi Lasante, Madre, and New Media Advocacy Project (N-Map). Most importantly, we are
working closely with a coalition of womenʼs groups including KOFAVIV, FAVILEK & KONAMAVID.

Digital Democracy
109 W 27th St, 6 fl | New York, NY 10001 USA
+1-347-688-DDEM [3336] | info@digital-democracy.org | Twitter @DigiDem | www.digital-democracy.org