USCRI Partner in Haiti Speaks at International Donors' Conference
Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) commends the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti for inviting Colette L’Espinasse, Director of the Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés (GARR), a Haitian non-governmental organization (NGO), to speak on behalf of Haitian civil society at the International Donors' Conference for Haiti on March 31, 2010 in New York.
“This is an opportunity for the international community to listen to those whose lives are directly affected by the devastation caused by the January 12 earthquake,” said Lavinia Limón, USCRI’s President and CEO. Including Haitian NGOs in the relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts is essential, explained Limón.
“Haitian NGOs have the expertise of their own culture, people, and institutions. Without the involvement of the Haitian people, aid is limited in its capacity to effectively respond to the needs of communities,” said Sarah Petrin Williamson, USCRI Chief of Operations in Haiti. Recognizing the need to support local NGOs, USCRI has partnered with GARR to monitor the protection of vulnerable people in camps and ensure their basic rights are respected.
The conference, co-hosted by the United States and the United Nations (UN) in cooperation with the Government of Haiti, aims to secure commitment from the international community in support of Haiti’s long-term recovery. The Government of Haiti will have an opportunity to share its vision for the future of Haiti.
“A ‘new Haiti’ is not possible without engaging the Haitian people in plans for the future,” said Colette L’Espinasse, Director of GARR.
USCRI and GARR have partnered to assist and protect displaced people within informal and formal camps established in the wake of the earthquake. Nearly 1.2 million people have been left to seek shelter with more than 600,000 currently living in 460 spontaneous camps in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas. USCRI and GARR will reach out to those most vulnerable, including women, children, and the elderly, to inform them of their options for accessing assistance.
“The basic rights of displaced people to personal dignity, safety, and freedom from harm must be respected,” said Lavinia Limón.
Photo: Colette L'Espinasse (back row, middle) with USCRI's Sarah Petrin Williamson (front left) and the GARR team in a photograph taken shortly after the earthquake.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization that has served refugees and immigrants and defended the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons worldwide since 1911. USCRI's national network of community-based partner agencies helps thousands of refugees build new lives in the United States each year.
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, 2231 Crystal Drive Suite 350, Arlington, VA 22202-3794, (703) 310-1130, www.Refugees.org
