International Response to Haiti's Earthquake Must Avoid 2010 Mistakes

Aug 19, 2021 | Brian Concannon and Kathleen Bergin
View Original

As the death toll and displacement from Saturday’s earthquake in Haiti mounts, the United States must urgently mobilize to provide help. But we must, just as urgently, resolve to avoid mistakes we made following the 2010 earthquake that left Haiti even more dependent on foreign aid. 

In 2010 former President Bill Clinton acknowledged that U.S. aid policy contributed to Haiti’s extreme vulnerability to natural and human disasters. We promised to “Build Back Better,” but then proceeded to do what we had always done to respond to natural disasters: deliver top-down aid based on decisions — often made in Washington and New York — that predictably failed when they encountered reality on the ground in Haiti.

Haitians themselves — whether in government, civil society, the medical field, or internal displacement camps — were marginalized. 

The response of the United States, along with other governments and global non-profits, did save lives by providing healthcare, food, and shelter to millions of Haitians. But the emergency interventions sometimes caused long-term harm. Foreign healthcare professionals rushed in, saving lives, but sometimes providing inappropriate treatment or displacing Haitian professionals, some of whom were forced to close their practices or emigrate. In fact, 11 years later, Haiti’s government capacity has been reduced so much that the country did not even start COVID vaccinations until July — after the U.S. stepped in with support. 

We again have the chance to create sustainable improvements by maximizing Haitians’ role in all aspects of disaster response. One framework for accomplishing this, called the “human rights-based approach,” requires a commitment to five objectives: a) capacity building, b) participation, c) transparency, d) accountability, and e) non-discrimination.