Project profile — Strengthening Haiti's border management capacities and improve security

This project aims to strengthen the border management capacities of the Haitian Border Police (POLIFRONT), an arm of the Haitian National Police (HNP), to detect and deter illicit cross-border activities that serve to strengthen Haitian gangs operating throughout the country. Over 2 years, the project aims to equip POLIFRONT with the technical tools required to effectively carry out their mandate, provide them with technical training on equipment use and maintenance, and improve infrastructure at the border.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased access to gender-sensitive technical equipment for POLIFRONT to implement border management responsibilities; (2) enhanced technical capacities for POLIFRONT to manage the border in a gender-sensitive and sustainable manner; (3) improved infrastructure at POLIFRONT bases and outposts in a gender-sensitive manner for effective border management; and (4) increased gender-responsive staff knowledge on protection and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse to ensure the human rights, dignity and safety and security of people crossing borders. The overall expected outcome of this project is to more effectively manage the movement of goods and persons across Haiti’s land borders with the Dominican Republic.

Results achieved as of February 2025 include: (1) enhanced knowledge of 48 Haitian border police, including 21 women, on migrant protection, including for minors, and on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse; (2) enhanced capacities of 84 Haitian border police, including 11 women at identifying fraudulent documents, thus enabling them to more effectively carry out their duties; and (3) renovated 3 border police bases at Ouanaminthe, Anse-à-Pitres and Morne-Casse to enable more productive working environments, through improved sanitation, more reliable and environmentally friendly electrical sources, and new bathroom and accommodation facilities for women officers.