Overview:
The organization Nègès Mawon launched the 8th edition of its feminist festival, held from July 17 to 19 in Pétion-Ville under the theme “Pouvwa” — “Power,” encouraging women to reflect on their influence and role in Haiti’s political sphere.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Surrounded by vivid artwork and a courtyard alive with performance, feminist collective Nègès Mawon launched the 8th edition of its annual festival on July 17 in Pétion-Ville under the theme “Pouvwa” — Haitian Creole for “Power.” For three days, the festival invited women across Haiti to reflect on their political and social influence, spotlighting the continued marginalization of women from decision-making spaces.
Held at the Brazil Cultural Center, the festival fused art, theater and panel discussions to examine systemic inequalities and the barriers keeping Haitian women away from power. Performances embodied real-life struggles: women vendors threatened by gang violence, community leaders excluded from national debates and everyday citizens navigating trauma in a collapsing state.
“The form of governance in Haiti does not at all reflect the vision of society upheld by feminists,” one organizer, Micaëlle Charles, said. “Insecurity has invaded even the most intimate spaces of women—their own bodies.”
Panels tackled urgent questions, such as:
- Why is it so hard for women in Haiti to access power?
- What structural and social forces limit their decision-making?
- And how can alliances help feminist agendas gain traction amid Haiti’s ongoing crises?
“Insecurity limits women’s access to public spaces and affects their ability to earn money. Madan Sara can no longer safely come to the capital to sell. Many are raped, robbed, or killed by gangs.”
Micaëlle Charles, a Nègès Mawon’s feminist festival organizer
The festival comes at a pivotal moment, with elections and constitutional reform at the forefront of national debates and as armed groups continue to overtake public space—forcing school closures, shuttering health facilities and pushing women deeper into poverty and precarity.
“Insecurity limits women’s access to public spaces and affects their ability to earn money,” Charles said. “Madan Sara can no longer safely come to the capital to sell. Many are raped, robbed, or killed by gangs.”
Despite these challenges, the festival reaffirmed Nègès Mawon’s mission: ensuring women’s rights and experiences remain central to shaping Haiti’s future.
The following are some images from the launch of the 8th edition of the feminist festival led by Nègès Mawon in Pétion-Ville:
Photo by Juhakenson Blaise / The Haitian Times.
Photo by Juhakenson Blaise / The Haitian Times.
Key Soundbites from the organizers:
- “Systemic corruption and impunity plunge the country into instability that women bear the brunt of.”
- “Many women who gain power do not prioritize women’s issues. That’s why feminist watchdogs matter.”
- “We must be present at decision-making tables to advocate for rights and collective well-being.”
- “This year’s theme pushes us to ask: What kind of power excludes women, peasants, LGBTQ+ people, and youth?”