Trust in peacebuilding organizations: A survey experiment in Haiti

• Published in: World development 2023-12, Vol.172, p.106375, Article 106375
• Main Authors: Bakaki, Zorzeta, Dorussen, Han
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Haiti; Organizations; Peacebuilding; Survey experiment; Trust
• ISSN: 0305-750X; 1873-5991
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106375

•Ability, inclusiveness, and integrity are meaningful criteria to evaluate trust in peacebuilding organizations.•Trust in foreign peacebuilding organizations is distinct from local organizations.•In Haiti, local organizations are perceived as more capable, but not necessarily trusted more than external organizations.•INGOs are perceived as more capable and inclusive than the UN and local organizations in Haiti.•The UN is perceived as least inclusive, reflecting that their role in Haiti has become highly contested. Peacebuilding organizations are important to support development in countries disrupted by conflict or disasters. However, to function effectively, these organizations need to generate trust among locals. Haiti has been flooded with foreign intervention following political upheaval in the 1990 s and even more so after the earthquake in 2010. The massive external involvement largely by-passed government institutions leading Haiti to be described as a ‘republic of NGOs’. The role of foreigners has become increasingly contested, but little is known about whether Haitians consider all interventions and interveners similarly. Our study examines variation in trust in political organizations, such as the UN, INGOs, and local community organizations, reporting on a country-wide survey experiment included about 3,000 respondents held in Haiti in the autumn of 2019. Our study finds that identifying the type of organization impacts significantly on people’s expectations and trust. Contrary to common perceptions, we find no clear evidence that local organizations are trusted more than external organizations. Local organizations are, however, seen as more capable than external organizations. INGOs are generally seen as more inclusive and least affected by corruption. In line with our expectations, Haitians view the UN as least inclusive.