The feminism movement in Haiti

The feminism movement in Haiti had its start among the ladies of the elite class. In 1934, a group from the upper class, wishing to be a part of the shaping of Haiti's future, aligned following the end of the occupation by the United States. They would call themselves LFAS, or the Ligue Feministe d'Action Sociale.

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The main focus of the group, which was led by Madeleine Sylvain Bouchereau, and Alice Garoute, was to promote gender equality, and they argued that Haiti's future would be dependent on this crucial element of women's right to vote, access to civil rights, and education. As was the case in most countries at that time, men were considered superior, by both genders, and so, despite zealous efforts on the part of the LFAS, it wasn't until 1946 that their voices became heard, and yet again, not until a few years later that their labor would bear fruit.

On November 4, 1950, after gathering together some 500 delegates from women's organizations local and international, the LFAS sat at the helm while women were finally afforded the voting right for local and national elections.

Their fight would continue on through the Duvalier period, when all women were denied political freedom. This led to the merging of the anti-dictatorship movement with the feminist movement in 1965, and would further lead to the modern women's movement after the end of the tyranny in 1986.In 1994, the movement set the way for the creation of the Ministry for Feminine Conditions and Women's Right. A year later, they would participate in the Conference on Women in Beijing, China, and also create other pivotal changes in legislation for women's rights.

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