The 7.0 earthquake took the lives of three prominent leader’s in Haiti's feminist movement: Anne Marie Coriolan, an instrumental figure in making rape a punishable crime in Haiti, Myriam Merlet, who founded an organization that collects womens stories and uses the media to bring raise awareness to their situations, and Magalie Marcelin, who established an organization that works on domestic abuse issues.  These three amazing women, who fought for justice and empowerment for the women of Haiti, will be sorely missed.



Before the earthquake a study, conducted by Kay Fanm, estimates approximately 72 percent of Haitian women have been raped in their lifetime. Some fear that the loss of the feminist leaders will hault progression in womens empowerment in Haiti. Progress does not have to stop though: pushing for the GROWTH Act and IVAWA we can make a long term difference in women’s lives in developing countries.

Click here to read V-Day (a Women Thrive Worldwide partner) founder Eve Ensler’s tribute to Myriam Merlet.

Click here to read the CNN article.