Empower Haitian Women Presents at Youth Forum on UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals

From left to right Edwin Elius, AAFHAMR Public Relations Officer, Doudly Elius, AAFHAMR founder, Erla Dessalines, finance officer, Adelin Pierre,coordinator of Conseil Consultatif des Jeunes Haiti (CCJH) and Marcna Andy Pierre, AAFHAMR Program Officer  

On February 23, 2017 Doudly Elius, Founder and Secretary General of the Empower Haitian Women organization, served on a panel presentation at the United Nations Development Program’s Youth Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (ODD: Objectifs de Developpement Durable) at the Oasis Hotel in Petion-Ville. The event was organized by Conseil Consultatif des Jeunes (CCJ) in association with Plan International Haiti.

Doudly Elius, AAFHAMR Founder,
 Adelin Pierre
Caroline Zephir,
 community engagement officer at
 Plan International of Haiti.

Plan International supported the Youth Advisory Council in the realization of a Youth Forum on Sustainable Development Objectives.  During this forum, workshops were organized on themes of ODD and equal opportunities (inclusion / gender) and ODD and youth.

The panel’s main topic in which Mr. Elius participated was ODD and equal opportunities. “I have never been able to understand the challenges that people living with disabilities faced until I became disabled myself and had to face difficulties to climb stairs or to do any movement overhead,” he shared. 

The public, composed mostly of young participants and organization representatives from Save the Children, United Nations, UNICEF, World Merit, UNESCO and so on, were very touched by the words of the founder of Empower Haitian Women organization.

Also in attendance were AAFHAMR staff, Erla Dessalines, Financial Officer and Edwin Elius, Public Relations.

Mr. Elius’s presentation to the audience of young people fit into the larger themes of the 17 goals for sustainable development presented at the conference. Addressing the topic of gender inclusion, a theme relevant to his work with the Empower Haitian Women organization, he shared how confronting and overcoming issues of inaccessibility, disability, and challenge can engender positive societal change.

The event brought together youth from five geographic regions in Haiti and culminated in the creation and adoption of a plan of action that will be used in youth engagement and advocacy on issues of sustainable development in Haiti.

Doudly Elius concluded his address at the Youth Forum on Sustainable Development Goals by saying “We need to support people living with disabilities if we want to reach the sustainable development objectives. The focus should also be on women as they are the foundation of Haiti's economic development.”

A view of the audience at the forum where about 50 young people gathered to learn about the sustainable development goals