Myriam Merlet
Encyclopedia
Myriam Merlet was a political activist who served as Chief of Staff of the Haiti
an Ministry of Women’s Affairs. One of the particular focuses of her work was on rape culture
. She worked to raise the profile of women in Haiti and abroad, founding the organisation Enfofamn and campaigning for several Haitian streets to be named after women. In 2001 she was instrumental in bringing The Vagina Monologues
to the island. Vagina Monologue author Eve Ensler's 2011 spotlight monologue entitled "Myriam" is a tribute and rallying cry to the work that Myriam accomplished in Haiti. The monologue describes how Eve called her friend's cellphone, "believing the ring would find you and wake you, your cell gripped in your buried hand."
She studied feminist theory, sociology and economics in Canada in the 1970s, returning to her native Haiti in the 1980s.
She died in Port-au-Prince
in the 2010 Haiti earthquake
.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an Ministry of Women’s Affairs. One of the particular focuses of her work was on rape culture
Rape culture
Rape culture is a term which originated in women's studies and feminist theory, describing a culture in which rape and sexual violence against women are common and in which prevalent attitudes, norms, practices, and media condone, normalize, excuse, or tolerate sexual violence against women...
. She worked to raise the profile of women in Haiti and abroad, founding the organisation Enfofamn and campaigning for several Haitian streets to be named after women. In 2001 she was instrumental in bringing The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler which ran at the Off Broadway Westside Theatre after a limited run at AFRICA in 1996. Ensler originally starred in the production which was produced by David Stone, Nina Essman, Dan Markley, The Araca Group, Willa Shalit, Mike Skipper...
to the island. Vagina Monologue author Eve Ensler's 2011 spotlight monologue entitled "Myriam" is a tribute and rallying cry to the work that Myriam accomplished in Haiti. The monologue describes how Eve called her friend's cellphone, "believing the ring would find you and wake you, your cell gripped in your buried hand."
She studied feminist theory, sociology and economics in Canada in the 1970s, returning to her native Haiti in the 1980s.
She died in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
in the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
See also
- Women's rights in HaitiWomen's rights in HaitiWomen in Haiti have equal constitutional rights as men in the economic, political, cultural and social fields, as well as in the family.However, the reality in Haiti is quite far from the law: "political, economic and social features of Haiti negatively affect most Haitians, but Haitian women...