Project in the Dominican Republic will train leaders of Haitian workers to advocate for human rights

By Kristine Greenaway

March 27, 2007 -- Leaders of associations of Hai_tian migrant workers and refugees living in the border region between Haiti and the Dominican Republic will soon be learning how to use alternative and mainstream media to draw attention to human rights abuses against Haitians working in the Dominican Republic. WACC has approved support for a series of skills training sessions in 2007 on writing and diffusing news, communicating via the internet, and preparing reports on the condition of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic.

The WACC project will be led by Espacinsular, a multi-disciplinary team of media professionals based in the Dominican Republic, who are concerned about abuse of Haitian workers. The group seeks ways to create positive interaction and better understanding between Haitians and the local population.

In recent years, Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic has been increasing due to political instability in Haiti. The migrant workers are seen as a threat to the Dominican Republic’s national identity, a point of view supported by the state and actively promoted by the far right. This is leading to worrying signs of spreading xenophia. As a result, Haitian workers, especially women, are subject to human rights abuses and to racially-motivated violence. At the same time, it is clear that Haitian workers are important to the economy of the Dominican Republic.

Espacinsular believes that equiping the leaders of associations for Haitian workers with communication skills will enhance their ability to participate in public discussions and advocate for action to address the problems of migrant workers living in the Dominican Republic. The end objective is to increase acceptance of Haitians and facilitate their integration into a multi-cultural and diverse society.