“Some people think that if they get married it will prevent them from finding a sponsor in order to travel to the United States”
Statistics on marriages collected exclusively by AyiboPost for 4 cities in the West over the last 5 years point to 2 facts: getting married remains a fairly marginal activity compared to the number of inhabitants, and the figures, despite slight declines due to insecurity, Covid, and migration, remain fairly stable for Port-au-Prince, Pétion-Ville, Tabarre, and Delmas.
In 2019, 6,882 couples were legally married in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital and the country’s most populous city, with nearly 3 million residents. 2020 will see a drop of 22%, with 5,350 recorded marriages. A temporary drop where 6,146 marriages were registered in 2021.
Data collected exclusively by AyiboPost from the National Archives of Haiti on the number of marriages in the commune of Port-au-Prince between 2019 and 2021.
In reality, the vast majority of couples in the country find themselves in a common-law union.
And today, other obstacles stand in the way of those who plan to say yes before the State.
Most of the brides and grooms normally come from abroad, according to the civil registrar in Port-au-Prince, Marcel Pardo. But “people were afraid to return to the country,” even more so since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, he explains.
The Humanitarian Parole program set up by the United States, making it possible to welcome Haitian migrants – 126,000 since January 2023 – is also lowering marriage statistics, according to Anne Shamir Pierre Fildor, head of the civil registry of the southern section of Port-au-Prince.
According to the latter, “some people think that if they get married, it will prevent them from finding a sponsor in order to travel to the United States.”
In reality, the vast majority of couples in the country find themselves in a common-law union.
It remains difficult to find national statistics for marriages in the country. Contacted by AyiboPost, the National Archives of Haiti cannot present any consolidated figures.
According to the director general of the institution, Jean Wilfrid Bertrand, records “do not always arrive on time at the National Archives of Haiti, the civil registry system is in disarray.”
To illustrate this problem, the manager reveals that the Archives have received very few marriage records celebrated on the territory for the year 2022, when we are already in 2024.
Among the 4 municipalities selected, Pétion-Ville comes in second, after Port-au-Prince, in terms of the number of marriage records.
Read also: Haiti: Only 25% of Pregnant Women Receive Recommended Prenatal Care, According to WHO
Since 2019, the figures have been falling in this municipality. From 1,476 in this year, there are 1,328 the previous year, 1,269 in 2021 and 1,051 in 2022. In 2023, civil records saw a slight increase with 1,116, which nevertheless remains below the figures 4 years ago.
Data collected exclusively by AyiboPost from the National Archives of Haiti on the number of marriages in the commune of Pétion-Ville between 2019 and 2023.
According to Pétion-Ville registrar Venel Jules, the brides and grooms in the area come from neighborhoods like Juvénat, Nerette, Laboule, Route des Frères, Pernier and Péguy-Ville. Some of those involved, according to the officer, do not present themselves with the necessary documents, such as the prenuptial certificate.
In Delmas, 1,804 couples got married in 2020. This is a drop of 45% compared to the 3,328 the previous year. For 2021, the municipality recorded a slight increase with 2,384 married couples.
Data collected exclusively by AyiboPost from the National Archives of Haiti on the number of marriages in the commune of Delmas between 2019 and 2021.
Tabarre has the lowest marriage rate among the municipalities selected by AyiboPost. In 2019, 42 weddings were recorded, 66 the following year, and 71 in 2021.
Data collected exclusively by AyiboPost from the National Archives of Haiti on the number of marriages in the commune of Tabarre between 2019 and 2021.
The Haitian population is estimated in 2022 at approximately 12,033,670 inhabitants, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP). The majority of the population resides in the West (36.9%), in Artibonite (15.8%) and in the North (9.8%).
According to the 6th EMMUS report published in 2018, during the 10 years preceding the survey, the proportion of single women aged 15 to 49 increased significantly, from 32% in 2005 and 2006 to 41% in 2016 and 2017.
Read also: Married women in Haiti refuse their husband’s name. They tell us why.
This same report further indicates that just over half of women aged 15 to 49 are in a union (52%) compared to 39% of men in the same age group.
Common-law unions are the most common type of union in the country, regardless of gender. It represents more than half of unions, 51% among women and 57% among men. Civil or religious marriages (32% among women compared to 36% among men) represent approximately a third of unions.
Tabarre has the lowest marriage rate among the municipalities selected by AyiboPost. In 2019, 42 weddings were recorded, 66 the following year, and 71 in 2021.
Haitian law recognizes marriage between a man and a woman. Couples who want to get married can choose between religious marriage, which is celebrated by a minister of religion, or civil marriage, received by a civil registrar.
According to the Haitian Civil Code, the legal age of marriage is set at 18 years for men and 15 years for women. Before this age, a special exemption is required from the President of the Republic to get married.
Insecurity certainly impacts marriage statistics. Anne Shamir Pierre Fildor is the head of the civil registry of the southern section of Port-au-Prince.
According to Fildor, insecurity in the area has pushed people not to visit the civil registry office in 2023. She claims not to have transcribed 1,000 marriage certificates last year.
English translation by Sarah Jean.
Graphic representation of data: Riquemi Perez/AyiboPost
Cover image: a man proposed mariage | © Freepik
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