On August 22, 2026, Haitian National Police (PNH) partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union to host a pivotal public awareness event in the southern coastal city of Les Cayes. The gathering marked the third iteration of the “PNH New Generation: Women at the Heart of Change” initiative, designed to encourage professional women and young female candidates to pursue careers in law enforcement and reshape the institutional culture of Haiti’s national police force.
The campaign grows out of a broader strategic effort to build a police force that is more inclusive, representative of Haiti’s diverse population, and held to high professional standards. By centering women’s participation in public security, organizers aim to address long-standing gender imbalances within the PNH and strengthen public trust in the institution among Haitian communities.
The day’s program opened with formal remarks from key stakeholders, including Allande Serge Joliccœur, the Departmental Director for Haiti’s South Department, Sylvain Merlen, the local UNDP representative, and Divisional Commissioner Erna Royal, who attended on behalf of the PNH Director General. Following the opening addresses, structured discussions centered on three core topics of high relevance to participants: responding to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the training pathway offered by Haiti’s National Police Academy (ENP), and the step-by-step PNH recruitment process.
Subject matter experts from multiple Haitian institutions led the topic-focused conversations. These included the GBV program manager for the South chapter of the National Coordination of Women’s Affairs and Gender Issues (CNAFQG), Principal Commissioner Marjorille Plaisival, the ENP representative, and Inspector Paul Smith Bonne Année from the PNH Recruitment Service.
Beyond formal presentations, the event featured open Q&A exchanges with attending young women and a testimonial session from current female officers serving in the PNH. These interactive segments gave prospective candidates a firsthand look at the day-to-day realities of police work, outlined the range of long-term professional opportunities available within the institution, and highlighted how increasing female participation strengthens the force’s ability to serve all Haitian people. Organizers emphasized that this third campaign builds on the success of earlier outreach events held across other regions of Haiti, with the shared goal of creating sustainable, meaningful gains in women’s representation at all levels of the Haitian National Police.