Haiti Watch

Amnesty International is calling on the Haitian government to do more to tackle the widespread rape of girls, often by gangs of armed men. Amongst other things, Amnesty reports that 55% of the 105 rapes reported so far this year were of girls aged under 18.

Read a BBC report on the situation here or, better yet, read Amnesty's extensive report on the subject here.

Today in History

On 18 October 1929, the Persons Case, a legal milestone in Canada, was decided.

Five women from Alberta, later known as the Famous Five, asked the Supreme Court of Canada to rule on the legal status of women. Some decisions of Magistrate Emily Murphy had been challenged on the basis that she was not a legal person, and she was a candidate for appointment to the Canadian Senate.

After the Supreme Court ruled against them, they appealed to the British Privy Council. The Privy Council found for the women on this day (eight years after the case began and eleven years after women received the federal vote), declaring that women were persons under the law.

October 18 has since been celebrated as Persons Day in Canada, and October as Women's History Month. The other women activists in the Famous Five were Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, and Irene Parlby.

Bahamian Anglicans Ordain Two More Women

The controversial ordination of "The Philadelphia Eleven" on 29 July 1974 was deemed by the hierarchy of the U.S. Episcopal Church to be "irregular" and it wasn't until a resolution was passed to change the church's canon law on 16 September 1976, over two years later, that the ordinations of these women were finally recognized. The church of England did not approve the ordination of women to the Anglican priesthood until sixteen years later on 11 November 1992. And here in the Bahamas, it would be eight more years until Angela Palacious would become the first Bahamian woman ordained into the Anglican priesthood on 30 May 2000. Since that time, four other Bahamian women have been ordained to the Anglican priesthood as well. The most recent additions are Paulette Maria Cartwright of St. Paul's Anglican Church on Long Island and Marie Antoinette Roach of St. Gregory's Anglican Church on Carmichael Road in Nassau.

The Nassau Guardian reports:

It was on Monday, Aug. 25, that Deacons Paulette Maria Cartwright, assistant curate at St. Paul's Anglican Church, Long Island, and Deacon Marie Antoinette Roach, assistant curate at St. Gregory's Anglican Church, Carmichael Road, were both ordained to the sacred priesthood during the Feast of St. Bartholomew, the Apostle, at Christ Church Cathedral, bringing the number of Bahamian-born female priests up to five. The Rev. Erma Ambrose is foreign-born but married to a Bahamian.

Cartwright says that in itself is a remarkable feeling.

"I feel that being a woman has nothing to do with my calling or nothing to do with God calling me. If I had allowed the fact that I was a woman to dominate my thoughts when God called me, then I would not be where I am now. But I know within myself, and I'm quite comfortable with the fact that God has called me to ministry and that He has placed me into the ministry that I am in today, even though I am a woman."

Despite the fact that there were people that protested Cartwright doing what she has done, she said that she did not allow the negativity towards women in ministry to bother her.

"If I had dwelled on that fact and said that ministry is not for women and convinced myself that I was going to have a difficult time then I wouldn't be where I am," she said. "I was just simply being obedient to God."

Cartwright says she can honestly say that she knew what God wanted her to do, and is obediently doing it, which makes her feel all the more comfortable with who she is, what she is, and that she has done the right thing.

Despite her enthusiasm, Cartwright was not always on this road. She was a teacher for 20 years, before she was ordained to ministry.

"Many years ago, I received what most people would call, a call from God to return from the city of Nassau to live in Long Island. I'm sure it was because He had work for me to do here. I was involved in the various ministries within the Anglican Church and during that time I just kept within myself wondering what it was that God wanted me to do. It just never seemed as though I was actually doing what he really wanted me to do. So it was in 2002 that I received another revelation to go into ministry and being obedient that's what I did."

Cartwright says she would encourage other women in her position to follow their dream if they want to become priests. "But, in encouraging them I'm not going to make it seem to be something that's going to be an easy road for them. I'm the type of person who uses my life experiences to help somebody else and so I will share all that I had experienced with others. I'm not hesitant in doing that. Also, I want every young person and young lady who so desires to enter the ministry and to become a priest to do so because I don't want to hinder God's call for anybody, and so if I believe that your call is a genuine call from God then I will encourage you. And in encouraging you, I would prepare you as best as I can for what may or may not lie ahead."

Roach is just as delighted to be one of the five Bahamian-born female priests in the country. "Saying that this feels good is a very simple way of putting it ... It feels like I'm in the right place and its been a long journey to get here, but there is now a sense of peace within me because I know that this is where God wants me to be, and it's good to be His servant and to be used by Him."

The recent joint ordination opens more doors for more females, according to Roach who says that there are more out there who have been called to the ordained ministry.

"I think that a lot more women are realizing that the call of God is not just for men and that its also for women of all ages, from all different sectors of society. God chooses who He wants, and I think a lot more people who have been questioning their call in the past are now realizing that this is something that they can do," she said.

With the ordinations of Cartwright and Roach, the number of female priests in the Anglican Diocese in the country has increased to six. The ordination was also historic, for Roach, as she and her father, Canon Neil Roach became the first father/daughter priest combination in the country.

The above testimony suggests that the journey of Bahamian women into the Anglican priesthood has been much less controversial than was the case in either the U.S. or the U.K. Even the journey of the Rev. Angela Palacious, which I inquired about during a Q&A session following a panel discussion on Bahamian religion at the College of the Bahamas back in 2003, was more similar to the testimonies that Cartwright and Roach recounted above than that of women who were part of the "Philadelphia Eleven" in the U.S. or the Movement for the Ordination of Women (MOW) in the U.K.

Congratulations to both Rev. Cartwright and Rev. Roach and may God richly bless your ministries!

Chilean Baptists Ordain First Woman Pastor

While the ordination of women is pretty much a non-issue amongst moderate and progressive Baptists in the United States, it's still fairly uncommon and, in some instances, quite controversial amongst many (but certainly not all) Baptist groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. But that is beginning to change. On March 1st of this year, Margarita Campos--a Chilean Baptist--became the first Baptist woman to be ordained in Chile.

My colleague Mayra Giovanetti of Chile reports:

Women pastors from Central America, Chilean Mission’s leadership, and missionary colleagues came to Margarita’s ordination which marked a historic event in our Convention and the Baptist Church New Redeemer in San Bernardo that she pastors. Three of the guests were missionary colleagues Sheila Heneise, Mylinda Baits, and Magda Aguirre. Our local colleagues Dwight and Barbara Bolick were also present. Margarita rejoiced with all the love and prayers she felt from those physically present and those who sent her notes of encouragement and congratulations. You will read more on the 2008 Global Servants Guide.

Mylinda Baits, a fellow missionary from Costa Rica, adds:

The women in ministry in Chile have suffered under a strong gender preference in pastoral ministry, but are now seeing a new day and freedom to live out their callings, because of this one woman's patient perseverance to hold onto to God's truth and purpose for her life. Having not experienced such strong resistance in following our own callings, Ruth and I were surprised by how precious and significant the ability to speak God's Word and be heard was for our sisters in ministry who have had to struggle against structures and prejudices that want to silence instead of celebrate them. To see the joy expressed, the humbleness honored, and the truth told was a gift to each of us present. Not only were we privileged to be a part of a historical event, we were blessed to see God at work, breaking down barriers and building up the whole Body of Christ which is neither male nor female, but one in Christ.

This event does indeed signal the dawn of a new day for Chilean Baptist women. Congratulations, Margarita!

Rwandan Genocide Survivor to Speak in Nassau

Come hear an inspiring story of a harrowing escape from death, and the power of compassion and forgiveness to resolve conflict and change lives for the better . . .

Immaculée Ilibagiza
survivor of the Rwandan genocide,
author and philanthropist

FREE LECTURE
Thursday June 5, 7:00-9:00pm
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, West Street, Nassau

With the sponsorship of the John Templeton Foundation, Immaculée llibagiza, an ethnic Tutsi and a survivor of the horrors of the 1994 holocaust in the Central African republic of Rwanda, is coming to Nassau. lmmaculée, author of the inspiring book Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Hay House publishers), will share the remarkable story of her 91 days in hiding from murder gangs, from which she emerged with a great spirit of understanding and forgiveness that allowed her to pardon those who massacred her parents, two of her three brothers and other members of her family. This is an unforgettable story offering hope for all who live in these challenging times. Left to Tell is available at Logos in the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre and Chapter One Bookstore on Thompson Boulevard.

For further information, contact Eileen Fielder at The Counsellors Ltd at (242) 322-7505/1000.

Angels Watching Over Me

As I (Estela) arrived at the church to meet with the women on Tuesday morning, Elsa met me at the door and said, “Madam Daniel, you know that even though I am not a Christian yet, God looks over me and I think that is because we take time to pray for each other everyday.” Then she added, “I was supposed to be in this group that had the tragedy last Sunday night on the ocean. But because I missed my connection with the guy who was planning the trip, I had to stay and now fifteen of them have drowned, three are in the hospital, and ten are still missing.”

Elsa was referring to the small migrant boat that capsized Sunday night en route from Nassau to Bimini, a story that had dominated the airwaves since it first broke on Monday morning. Like so many who have gone before them, these migrants were using Nassau as a jumping off point to get to the “promised land” of the United States. Many of them came to the Bahamas from Haiti years ago and had finally saved up enough money to make the last and final leg of their trip. For most, it turned out to be a dream that would not come true.

Please pray for the families of those people who lost their lives, many of them who don’t yet know whether or not their loved one is dead. Pray for the many children who have been orphaned by this tragedy. Pray for the salvation of Elsa. And pray for us, that we might be able minister effectively to Elsa and the many other women like her.

For more information about this tragedy, see the Bahama Journal or the Nassau Guardian.

This story was written by my wife Estela Schweissing for the 26 April 2008 edition of News from Daniel and Estela Schweissing. The painting, titled "Hope I - Haitian Boat Migration" was done by P. Neko Meicholas, a local Bahamian artist.

Remembering the Plight of Haitian Women

Today, in honor of International Women's Day, let us remember the plight of Haitian women in the Bahamas. Below, I have posted a story my wife wrote for our newsletter nearly two months ago.

During our first week back from Christmas break, the ladies from the morning women’s group and I decided to do some visitation in the McCollough Corner neighborhood where our church is located. In total, we were able to visit the homes of six different women, pray for them, and share the Good News of salvation with those who are not yet believers.

At the first home, we met Francine, a Haitian woman who came to Nassau just ten months ago. Shortly after she arrived, her brother found a man for her to live with. Because it is very difficult for Haitian women to find jobs to support themselves, it is not uncommon for many to end up in arrangements like this where they cook, clean, and provide sexual favors for a Haitian man—often a married man whose wife and children are still in Haiti—in exchange for room and board. Unfortunately for Francine, her situation—sad as it was—turned out worse than most. The man she was living with beat her almost every day until he finally abandoned her, leaving her alone in a one room shack, five months pregnant, and with no means of supporting herself. Francine told us that she asked her mother to send for her so she could go back home to Haiti. But her mother was unsympathetic, reminding her that if she comes home she will not be able to send money to support the family back in Haiti. You see, the economic situation is so desperate in Haiti that even though Nikelia has not been able to send home a single penny since arriving in Nassau, her family is still staking their hopes on the fact that she will eventually be able to do so. Like so many Haitian women in Nassau, Francine is trapped between the prospects of a future of dependency on men or the possibility of dashing the hopes of her family by returning home empty handed. What could we possibly do for Francine or the many other women in our neighborhood just like her? We did the only thing we knew how to do in that moment. We prayed for Francine, shared the gospel with her, and promised to visit her again.

Later that afternoon, we met another lady by the name of Anna. She is from Haiti but is married to a Haitian man who was born and raised in the Bahamas. They have three children, two in Haiti and one here in Nassau. Because her husband is a drug addict and rarely gives her money, she relies on prostitution to earn extra spending money and to send something back home to her family in Haiti. Unlike Francine, Anna seemed far from desperate. On the contrary, had we not known her occupation we would have been impressed with her entrepreneurial zeal. But in the absence of better employment opportunities, she—like many other Haitian women—has chosen this lifestyle because it presents the best option to improve her economic situation. While she politely listened to us while we shared the Gospel message, Anna seemed reluctant to commit her life to Jesus, knowing that that to do so would bring an end to her otherwise lucrative “business” activities.

One of the things that we discovered during these visits is how inadequate the Gospel message seems to be in light of the difficult problems faced by the women in our neighborhood. We were not surprised that many of the women we visited refused to embrace the Gospel because they believe that the church does not and cannot meet their needs and, worse yet, the pastors and leaders only want their money. Indeed, we learned that it is very difficult, even hypocritical, to ask women such as these to give up the lifestyle upon which they depend for their very livelihood. Put differently, we learned that it is not enough to simply preach repentance and belief in Jesus Christ. We must also work to provide these women with opportunities to economically support themselves in ways that will allow them to enjoy the dignity befitting those who are created in the image of God.

The week after our visitation, we took a break from our normal activities and spent a day in prayer and fasting, inviting other members of the church to come and join us. One of the main things that we prayed for was for the salvation of the many Haitian immigrants residing in Nassau and, especially, those living in the vicinity of our own church right here in McCollough Corner. Just as importantly, we prayed that we would be more faithful in living out the Gospel message, that we would do more than just preach the right words, and that we would be able to minister effectively to both the economic and spiritual needs of our neighbors.

Observe Haiti Solidarity Week

Just in from Haiti Reborn. Consider how your church or community group might help raise awareness about women's issues in Haiti by observing Haiti Solidarity Week.

Haiti Solidarity Week
Stand up and speak out to end Violence Against Women
February 3-10, 2008

This year here at Haiti Reborn we are encouraging folks to get involved in activities aimed at confronting violence against women during Haiti Solidarity Week. We have some ideas for doing this on our website, including hosting house parties to raise funds and raise awareness. Any money raised for Haiti Reborn during February solidarity week will go to support the work of the Commission of Women Victims for Victims (KOFAVIV), a women's collective providing services to victims of sexual violence in Port au Prince and engaged in popular education and advocacay to confront the sources of violence.

We invite anybody organizing an event this week - whether it is on this theme or other, related to Haiti Reborn, or other group - to post the details of the event on this page. It has a searchable database of events and thus will help you get the word out about your solidarity activity.

February 7 is a significant date in Haiti's historical struggle for democracy - the day J.C. Duvalier was forced to leave in 1986, the day Aristide, as Haiti first democratically elected president, was first inaugurated in 1991, and the date of the election that brought La Tortue's unelected and illegitimate government to a close in 2006. There are generally many events organized to commemorate Haiti struggle for democracy on this day - and throughout the week. Help us get the word out by posting the details of those activities here - or letting us know by sending an e-mail. (Note: You can customize the descrption of your event - you do not need to use the default!)

Learning from the Lives of Haitian Women

Here's the scoop on a new movie that has just been released:

Poto Mitan is a story of struggle, courage, resistance, and democracy. Through powerful, compelling stories/lives of five courageous Haitian women, Poto Mitan will inspire and educate solidarity, global justice, and women's activists around the world and challenge them to think critically about their own work. Each woman's life history will shed light on a particular aspect of the countrys current crisis, weaving Haitis story within her own, something that is often missed by the mainstream and even alternative media.

The image of Haiti that comes out of both mainstream and alternative media is almost entirely negative: a seemingly endless stream of dire poverty, protracted violence, and extreme fallout from natural disasters. While it is true that Haiti is a society that is poor and divided, there are important structural causes of this poverty and division. Poto Mitan gives viewers not familiar with Haiti a humanizing historical context and lived understanding of the people who are confronting these structural imbalances.

Poto Mitan contributes the much needed understanding of the world economy. Our approach is to depict how inequalities based on social and national differences and gender roles intersect and are experienced on the ground. By sharing the lives - living and working conditions, life histories, and activism - of five everyday Haitians, we give the world economy a human face. Most people do not think about where their clothing is made, and how the people who make it live and work. An early site for export-processing zones, often called maquiladoras, Haiti is a good place to examine this global phenomenon, highlighting fluctuations within the export-oriented textile industry.

Poto Mitan is a tool to inspire, educate, and empower solidarity activists. By seeing the daily struggles of local women workers, seeing that they are not merely victims but organized activists, this film will inspire people in the North to get involved.

Read more about the women featured in Poto Mitan here or view the fifteen-minute trailer here. Unfortunately, the film is not yet available for purchase, but you can check here to see if a screening is being held in your area.

Solidarity with the Women of Haiti

Today is International Women's Day. In that spirit, the letter that I've posted below has been circulated by Jubilee South in Argentina as a collective call for solidarity with the women of Haiti.

This statement of solidarity will be issued today, International Women's Day, and will also be presented to the Inter-American Development Bank during their official meetings in Guatemala City in mid March (16-20). The IDB is considering cancellation of its claims to Haiti's debts, as well as Nicaragua, Bolivia, Guyana, and Honduras. Though, I've learned that Haiti's portion of this cancellation may be delayed.

Solidarity with the Women of Haiti

On this March 8, we issue a special call for solidarity with the women of Haiti who are suffering a situation of extreme physical, psychic and economic violence as a result of the military occupation and financial plunder of their country.

Since mid 2004, Haiti has suffered foreign military intervention through the United Nations Stabilization Mission – MINUSTAH- that supposedly was charged with the task of reducing violence and guaranteeing the protection of human rights and security of the population. After two years, the Mission has clearly failed in its objectives. The supposed peace-keeping troops have been converted into an occupation force which violates the rights of the population, especially those of women and girls.

News of cases of rape, abuse of women, boys and girls, and sex trafficking has multiplied. Even the United Nations itself has to recognize that its peace-keeping troops have violated the rights of women and girls. In the last two years, 189 soldiers, police, and civilian employees were sanctioned for these crimes. In the first 10 months of 2006, 63% of the incidents of reproachable conduct on the part of these troops are related to acts of sexual aggression. To mention just two examples, this was the case when an 11 year old girl was raped by soldiers in front of the Presidential Palace, and when a boy, less than 14 years of age, was raped at a UN naval base.

This situation of physical and psychological violence comes on top of economic violence. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the continent. 80% of the population lives below the poverty line and four million people do not have enough to eat. The continual payment of external debt is financially bleeding the country. In 2005, over $80 million dollars was designated for payment of interest and debt service that continues to be charged by the International Financial Institutions. The illegitimacy of this debt is amply demonstrated. 45% of the debt that is owed today was contracted during the Duvalier family dictatorship. The deadly consequences of debt payment fall principally on women and children who are deprived of their most basic rights.

For these reasons, we demand total and unconditional cancellation of the external debt and that these resources be designated for health, education and life for the people of Haiti. We should accompany the struggle for just alternatives, demanding restitution and reparation for the looting of the country over the years, and demonstrating that women are the principle creditors of this enormous debt: the financial, social, cultural and gender equity debt accumulated throughout patriarchal colonization and continuing under capitalist exploitation today.

We commit ourselves to demand that our governments withdraw troops from Haiti and implement policies of true solidarity, respecting the sovereignty, self-determination and human rights of the people of Haiti.

For the right to LIFE for the women of Haiti!
Stop violence and sexual abuse!
Stop the military and economic occupation!
Total and unconditional cancellation of external debt!
MINUSTAH Troops out of Haiti!

[UPDATE: You are invited to read and widely disseminate this declaration as part of International Women's Day activities. The list of initial endorsements as well as Spanish and Haitian Creole versions of this letter are available from Tom Ricker at Haiti Reborn. Please send additional signatures of support to the mailbox of Jubilee South/Americas' Gender Area.]

More information about the sexual exploitation of Haitian women by UN Peacekeeping Forces is available here.