where we work.

human rights & governance

According to the US State Department's "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2001," batey inhabitants also face the following human rights challenges:

• "Unlawful deportations of, and police brutality toward, these legal and illegal immigrants."



• Governmental failure "to recognize and document as Dominican citizens many individuals of Haitian ancestry born in the country,"; and treatment of undocumented Haitians in the DR as "in transit" and not entitled to the right of citizenship through birth in the Dominican Republic.



• Some parents fail to seek documentation for their DR-born children due to fear of being deported, and lack of documentation usually deprives children of Haitian descent of the opportunity to attend available schools.



• The Government is doing little to improve the conditions of Haitian immigrants. Most social services in shantytowns are provided by NGO's and other relief organizations. (6)