HAITI "WOMAN OF COURAGE" 2008 NOMINEE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001715 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR G/IWI FOR ANDREA BOTTNER, SENIOR COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM HA SUBJECT: HAITI "WOMAN OF COURAGE" 2008 NOMINEE REF: SECSTATE 126072 ¶1. Per reftel, Post nominates Marilyn Allien, founder of the Haiti Legacy Foundation, for the Seretary of State's 2008 Award for International Women of Courage. ¶2. Biographical information and justification for award selection: Full legal name of nominee: Marilyn B. Allien Job title/association: President, La Fondation Heritage pour Haiti (Haiti Legacy Foundation) Date of birth: 11/21/1955 Country of birth: Haiti Citizenship: Haitian Address: #1 bis, rue Gabart, Petionville, Haiti Telephone: 011-509-513-7089 Email: marilynallien@yahoo.com Passport number: PP1098729 Justification: Marilyn Allien, founder of the Haiti Legacy Foundation (La Fondation Heritage pour Haiti -- LFHH) was among the first in Haiti to begin seriously combating corruption. After 19 years with World Vision International, a Christian relief organization with projects in more than 100 of the poorest communities in Haiti, Allien grew frustrated with the government's failure to follow through on its promises to Haiti's poor. In 1998, Allien left her position at WVI-Haiti and founded the La Fondation Heritage pour Haiti (Haiti Legacy Foundation). LFHH began operating in 2002 with a grant from USAID, and became a fully accredited chapter of Transparency International (TI) in 2005. The idea to create a foundation to fight corruption and to address the issues of ethics, integrity and accountability in Haitian society stemmed from her commitment to Haiti's poor and marginalized, especially women and children. She spent years traveling throughout the neediest communities of Haiti where - in spite of massive assistance from the almost 800 NGOs and charitable foundations in the country - the situation of the poor was becoming increasingly desperate. The root cause, she decided, was the pervasiveness of corruption and the absence of accountability in the management of the country's affairs. As she puts it, ''Haiti's deficiencies in the areas of ethics, integrity and accountability have continually defeated all efforts to construct a just, democratic society founded on the rule of law.'' Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide blamed LFHH for Haiti's low ranking on the TI corruption index. He claimed the organization was attempting to destabilize the government and had their name dragged through the mud in the press, according to Allien. Allien says she still does not put her address on her business cards for fear of being harassed, and she often receives anonymous phone calls pressuring her to ''back off.'' Today, LFHH is considered the primary resource in Haiti on addressing corruption. In 2005, the interim Haitian government requested Allien's help to create a government agency dedicated to fighting corruption. The result was the formation of the Anti-Corruption Unit (Unite de Lutte Contre la Corruption, or ULCC). LFHH was also instrumental in pushing the UN Convention Against Corruption through the Haitian parliament. Allien is continuing to fight for implementation of the treaty. Prior to the 2006 national elections, LFHH trained political parties on the duties and obligations of elected officials and encouraged the parties to sign an ''integrity pledge'' denouncing corruption. Allien is currently working on draft legislation to protect whistle-blowers, as well as working with the ULCC on a national strategy to fight corruption in all sectors in Haiti. ¶3. Embassy has informed Allien of her nomination. She responded that she is honored by the nomination and accepts with gratitude. Post's POC for women's issues is Political Officer Lynette M. Behnke; telephone: 011-509-222-0200, ext. 8119; email: behnkel@state.gov. SANDERSON