Dominican Republic: Haitian migrants denied their rights

Index Number: AMR 27/003/2007
Date Published: 21 March 2007
Categories: Americas, Dominican Republic

At least half a million Haitians live in the Dominican Republic where they work principally in agriculture and construction. Fleeing the poverty of their homeland, they undertake poorly paid and arduous jobs that most Dominicans are unwilling to do. They face the constant risk of expulsion and systematic discrimination because of their race, skin colour, language and nationality. As well as the risk of expulsion, Dominican children of Haitian descent face barriers when they try to obtain a birth certificate from the Civil Registrar Office.