The structure of the Haiti Response Coalition is designed to facilitate fulfillment of its mission - to serve as a cross-sector platform for sharing information and organizing collaborative action for a stronger Haiti. Committed to the Open Space principles , the HRC seeks to support a “Coalition of Coalitions” and is structured as follows:
A Central Coordinating Platform anchors all parts of the Coalition, supported by a website, resource archive(s) and Coalition mailing list(s).
The platform is facilitated by the HRC Coordinator, who is responsible for organizing Coalition meetings and activities, facilitating and/or recruiting additional facilitators for such activities, maintaining all Coalition files and records and managing other such regular operations. The Coordinator also serves as the primary spokesperson for the Coalition.
HRC Working Groups are smaller groups of Coalition members who join together to focus on a specific sector, theme, topic or question. Each Working Group has a named facilitator and shares information back to the Central Coordinating Platform. Working Groups meet regularly to learn from one another, troubleshoot common challenges and explore opportunities for collaboration. Collaborative projects or activities may grow out of one or more HRC Working Groups. HRC may elect to sponsor such projects (e.g., COVID-19 Communications Campaign), but HRC sponsorship is not required or guaranteed. HRC sponsorship of a project or activity would be determined by members. New Working Groups can be formed by the Coalition and Working Groups can form subgroups or committees at their discretion.
Pre-existing Partner Networks may also choose to formally engage with the HRC, providing a space for participants to focus on the specific issues and ideas prioritized by the network. An example of this is HRC’s partnership with the Haiti Health Network - a pre-existing network of health professionals and organizations in Haiti that meets regularly to create connectivity and collaboration between all types of organizations providing healthcare in Haiti. In lieu of creating a Public Health Working Group for the HRC, the Coalition instead encourages members to participate in the Haiti Health Network. Members from the Haiti Health Network also bring updates to HRC All Coalition Coordination Meetings.
HRC Members are non-profit and educational entities that have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the rights and welfare of Haiti’s people and wish to actively participate in knowledge exchange and collaborative work. Member organizations indicate those individuals who are authorized to represent them in the Coalition. Unaffiliated individuals or representatives of for-profit entities may participate actively as members of the Coalition either by being sponsored by a current Member Organization or by serving the Coalition in a formal paid or volunteer role.
The HRC Executive Committee provides basic governance for the Coalition and oversight of the Coordinator. The Executive Committee reports to the general Coalition members regularly and may be empowered to act on behalf of the full Coalition between general meetings. Executive Committee members are nominated and approved by Coalition members to serve a one year term with the option for one renewal.
In addition to Working Group gatherings, all HRC members are invited to participate in monthly All Coalition Coordination Meetings. These meetings are facilitated by the HRC Coordinator, include updates from all Working Groups and Partner Networks and are used to address other business matters of the Coalition.
The Coalition will host an Annual Meeting each year in which Executive Committee members and officers are elected and this will include an Open Space Meeting (virtual or in person).
