Digital Democracy

Empowering Civic Engagement Through Digital Technologies | 109 W 27th St, 6 fl | New York, NY 10001 USA
+1-347-688-DDEM | info@digital-democracy.org | @digidem | www.digital-democracy.org

Using Tech to fight Gender-Based Violence in Haiti:

Digital Democracy makes official commitment for CGI

September 20, 2010: New York, NY — Since the January earthquake, incidences of rape and
gender-based violence (GBV) in Haiti have increased dramatically, particularly among young
women and girls. Digital Democracy (Dd) is partnering with grassroots women activists from
tent-camps in Port-Au-Prince to address this challenge. As a member of the Clinton Global
Initiative (CG|), Dd officially commits to continue its work fighting GBV in Haiti with technology.

“Digital Democracy commits to addressing gender-based violence by documenting cases of

violence, networking responders via mobile phones and providing comprehensive technical
training to women and girls so they can respond violence and advocate to prevent it,” explained
Emily Jacobi, Dd co-director.

Haitian women’s voices have been largely absent from international talks on rebuilding and the
allocation of $6 billion of aid. Dd collaborates with lawyers, health and psycho-social service
providers and strong networks of Haitian women and girls. Since April, Dd has worked to
amplify the voices of Haitian women photo and video trainings. Dd has also adapted its award-
winning Handheld Human Rights program to track and respond to incidents of rape via mobile
phones.

As documented in the recent report Our Bodies Are Still Trembling: Haitian Women’s Fight
Against Rape, rates of rape and GBV have risen strikingly since January’s earthquake. Though
there are no official statistics, the grassroots women’s organization KOFAVIV (Association of
Women Victims for Victims) has documented and responded to over 300 rape cases in 15
camps since January 12. Most victims are girls and women between the ages of 5 and 17.

“Contrary to a recent UN report claiming problem areas are secure, people living in many camps
are forced to provide their own security by banding together, forming informal security patrols or
“brigades” and using whistles as a deterrent for rape,” said Eramithe Delva, KOFAVIV co-
founder. “The Haitian police are supposed to work in 40 camps, but are now only patrolling six
of them. This leaves no official security in over 1,000 camps in greater Port-au-Prince.”

Dd works with KOFAVIV and other groups to highlight where violence is most prevalent and to
coordinate effective responses. “Our women partners in Haiti are well-organized, dedicated
leaders who see a need for tech tools and training in their work,” said Jacobi. “Our collaboration
is critical to our CGI commitment. At the intersection of technology and women’s empowerment,
we believe these projects will transform their role as active participants in rebuilding Haiti.”

Digital Democracy (www.digital-democracy.org) uses digital technologies to empower disenfranchised

and marginalized groups with training and technological support. Founded in 2008, the U.S.-based non-
profit emphasizes the importance of digital literacy, working with grassroots organizers and local
programmers on community-driven solutions. Dd has international reach and has conducted projects and
trainings in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Iraq, Kenya, Thailand, South Africa, the United States,
and other countries. Handheld Human Rights is an award-wining platform developed by Dd and
supported by the University of Berkeley Human Rights Center and NetSquared and the French-American
Charitable Trust.
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