Haiti

Women in Haiti in the early 21st century face lives of challenge marked by grinding poverty, the impact of political violence and instability, and pervasive male dominance as a social norm. This is reflected in low incomes, high birth rates, high maternal mortality rates, and little or no access to healthcare and education for many women. The poorest country and one of most economically vulnerable in the Western Hemisphere, 80 percent of Haiti's population live below the World Bank's poverty line, and more than half make less than $100 per year. Women's wages remain among the lowest in the world and 72 percent of households are headed by women.

This vulnerability was brought to the world's attention on January 12, 2010, when an earthquake of 7.0 ...