Late Haitian Feminists Honored on Centenary Celebration for International Women's Day

Celebrations on the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day March 8th will honor the three feminist leaders who died in the January 12th earthquake in Haiti. The three Haitian feminist activists, Myriam Merlet, Magali Marcelin, and Anne Marie Coriolan will be honored at this event.

The celebration will take place at the symbolic Plaza Catherine Flon in Champ de Mars in Port-au-Prince. They had worked collectively and independently to reform the Haitian judiciary systems, create domestic violence shelters, publish feminist papers and protect reproductive health rights. Women's groups from around the world are asked to organize and contribute a memorial activity in their countries and communities.

Myriam Merlet, who died in last month's earthquake, was an outspoken activist, advisor and former chief-of-staff for the Haitian Ministry of Women who helped draw international attention to the use of rape as a political weapon. She founded Enfofanm, the first feminist information and documentation center in Haiti that also promotes women’s rights.  Magali Marcelin worked as a lawyer, activist and actress who founded Kay Fanm, a women's rights organization focused on domestic violence and microcredit loans. Anne Marie Coriolan served as a top adviser to the women's ministry and founded the organization, Solidarite Fanm Ayisyen (Solidarity with Haitian Women, or SOFA). 

To honor these three feminist leaders, among others killed in the quake, activities are being planned worldwide, including a special roundtable at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the CSW (Commission on the Status of Women) organized by The Feminist International Solidarity Camp, CAFRA (Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action), the Huairou Commission, The Association for Women’s Rights and Development (AWID), and many other organizations and networks.  Local activities in other countries for March 8th have already been announced by women’s organizations in Chile, Argentina, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Brazil, the United States, and Canada.   (Read the full report).

Want to organize an event? It's not too late to set up a Global Fund for Women house party to honor these activists.