"To strengthen the democracy : We must encourage the political participation of young", it is around this theme that the Centre of Reflection, Education and Debate (CRED), made ​​its first departmental forum of the West, at the Hotel Plaza, Friday, December 2, 2011. Several hundred young people from more than thirty organizations of the Department of the West, took part in this forum.

Nikenson Saint Jean, Vice President of CRED, declared that this forum is part of a series of activities undertaken by the institution across the country to create a space of dialogue between the different organizations of young people, enabling them to think about the obstacles to the participation of youth in political activities in the country. He argues in favor of an integration policy for youth, in all activities of the country. This initiative was taken from an observation made by the CRED, that the young are almost completely excluded from all spheres of decision-making, as they represent the majority of the Haitian population."

This first forum is part of a series of five, which will be organized around five major regions of the country. Following these activities, a document in the form of plea will be developed, composed of the claims and proposals of young people around the various problems faced by Haïtiand will be presented to parliament, to the Haitian government and the international community, has informed Nikenson Saint Jean.

Me Jean Michel Simplice, political scientist and Jean Ronald Joseph, sociologist, two key players in this forum, have shown to the young people the interest to participate in all the political activities of the country. For political scientist Jean Michel, the weapon of corruption and the division that plague youth organizations in Haiti, is one of the reasons of the exclusion of them in decision making in all social, economic and political structures of the country. "It is important now to give ew missions, clear and precise, to the social organizations and political parties in Haiti." Me Simplice believe that the initiative of CRED weighs heavily in the balance which can lead to a real process of democracy in Haiti.

For his part, the sociologist Jean Ronald Joseph, estimates that the political participation of young people, must be part of a society project and social demands. According to Me Ronald Jean it is almost necessary, for there to be uniformity at the level of youth as a social category. The sociologist cited as an example, the the existing gap between the demands of young people in rural, urban region and the disadvantaged areas compared to the inaccessibility of services in their community.

The forum was an opportunity for many young people, to criticize the Haitian system of governance based mostly on the informal, and more, without any political vision. They also condemned the weakness and limitless multiplication of Haitian political parties, which are still defending their petty interests.

This forum was full of discussion and debate for young people during the workshops. They had the opportunity to think on various issues of social life in Haiti. The next forum will be organized departmental in the south of the country in early January 2012 with the support of the human rights organization "Law and Democracy. "

HL/ Claudy Bélizaire