Gender is deemed a social construct and is commonly overlooked in economic conversations (Padgett and Warnecke 2011). However, there are critical intersections between gender and economic maturation. Additionally, gender relations in Haiti demote women to the positionality of the “most marginalized” in the country with the fewest liberties yet the greatest socio-economic responsibilities. Thus, rural women are disproportionately affected by most disparities, inclusive of the economic implications in Haiti.

Haitian women are often silenced and burdened by the intersectionality of social, economic, and environmental oppressions. In Cap-Haitien, and much of rural Haiti, women and men are bilateral actors. It is estimated that nearly three quarters of the Haitian people reside in rural areas and work (both formally and informally) as peasant farmers. Since the 1950s, the environment in Haiti has been overseen by the Ministry of Environment whose fundamental mission is to reduce environmental vulnerability.