Dr. Lucna Henrisme is a 30-year-old medical doctor in Haiti. She's also a pro-democracy activist who's decided fixing broken bones isn't enough when the entire system is broken.
Her focus? Getting young people and women involved in politics, because, as she puts it, her generation has never actually voted in an election. Let that sink in for a moment.
A Generation Shut Out
For years, Haiti's youth have largely steered clear of local politics. And who can blame them? Promises have been shattered, corruption is rampant, and basic civic education is often non-existent. Violence doesn't exactly make for a great get-out-the-vote campaign either. Many Haitians don't even know their fundamental rights, let alone how to exercise them.
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Start Your News DetoxEnter Dr. Henrisme. In June 2024, she launched Mouvman SÈVI (The SERVICE Movement). It's a grassroots effort holding workshops and discussions across the country, teaching civic rights and duties, and actively encouraging women and young people to step up and seek political roles.
Haiti has been in a state of political limbo since President Jovenel Moïse's assassination in July 2021. Three temporary governments have come and gone, offering neither improved security nor the elections everyone's waiting for. The country hasn't held general elections since 2016, and parliament hasn't functioned since January 2020. Which means a lot of officials are, well, temporary.
Elections scheduled for 2026 are already looking shaky. Gangs control vast swaths of the country, particularly around the capital, Port-au-Prince. This ongoing violence has displaced over 1.5 million people. It's hard to talk about voting when people are just trying to survive.
Dr. Henrisme isn't just disappointed; she's calling for action. She's pushing the current government to honor the Constitution and hold fair elections, as laid out in the National Pact for Stability. She believes the crisis can only be resolved if leaders actually prioritize the needs of the Haitian people and rebuild trust.
Despite opportunities to leave and work abroad, Dr. Henrisme remains. She believes her generation holds the key to positive change, insisting that Haitians must resolve their own crisis, and young people and women must be at the forefront of that solution. It's a heavy lift, especially when the person trying to empower others to vote has never had the chance to cast a ballot herself. A rather pointed irony, if you think about it.
