I'm currently the Senior Gender Advisor for the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). I would like to share a very innovative program of capacity building for women in politics that consists of individual coaching sessions. Coaching is a great tool that empowers women in transforming weaknesses into strengths, thus developing confidence and self-esteem. Indeed, general experience has demonstrated that because of years of political, social, cultural and economic marginalization, a fundamental need of women in leadership is support in building up their self-esteem and confidence.

This training program targets a group of 20 women who ran for the past 2006/2007 elections; two elected women participate in the program (they are now Members of Parliament), the others lost but wanted to remain involved in politics. As part of field exercises related to the Coaching, those women were asked to get involved in the implementation of small projects at their community level.

They began with few resources but thanks to their courage, determination and the skills acquired through the Coaching, they overcame the obstacles. Here are a few examples of those projects: a) Literacy program in Jacmel: one of our participants did start a small literacy program for illiterate market women... now they can proudly sign their names and make some basic calculation; b) A Centre for women victims of violence: to be set up in Gonaives by one participant, will include legal and psycho-social counselling; c) One participant is trying to create a Federation of women’s organizations in the Grande Anse region (south) with women managing small businesses like fish drying; d) One participant has started a business of “briquettes” to replace charcoal and educate local residents about preserving their environment (using the briquettes as alternative to wood).

This program’s approach is unique because it breaks with traditional training sessions that promote only passive learning; through individual Coaching, each woman will be empowered and learn how to become a good leader. Once more confident about her own capacities, she will use her new skills for the benefit of the whole community and be more assertive to raise her voice in the public arena which is still predominantly male-dominated.