Ana María Belique, a participant in the 2022-23 Human Rights Advocates Program at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights, spoke to Professor Jo Becker’s Human Rights Skills and Advocacy class on April 14th. As a founding member of Reconocí.do, an organization that mobilizes and empowers Dominicans of Haitian descent, Ana María leads education campaigns on citizenship laws and the rights of Dominicans of Haitian origin.
Presenting background information on the status of Dominicans of Haitian descent, Ana María discussed the 2013 decision by the highest court of the Dominican Republic resulting in Dominicans who were born to foreign parents between 1929 and 2007 to retroactively lose their citizenship. The decision affected mostly Dominicans of Haitian heritage who had already been experiencing discriminatory policies. Ana María, like many others, was unable to get her birth certificate from the Dominican Republic, which she needed to enroll in the university. This collective struggle led Ana María and others to establish Reconoci.do, which, in partnership with others, has litigated and advocated in front of both domestic and international entities.
In her personal capacity as an advocate, Ana María discussed the struggles she and her family have faced because of her involvement in the movement. The social and cultural isolation of Dominicans of Haitian descent has impacted daily life for those publicly denouncing discriminatory citizenship laws, highlighting the disparate effect of human rights advocacy on both the advocate and their families.
After Ana Maria’s presentation, the 18 students broke up into groups to discuss the role media, and national and international entities can play in affecting change in the Dominican Republic. Students were able to translate Ana’s story into an effective strategy for change, proposing some strategies that Reconoci.do had employed as well as new ideas for advocacy such as media toolkits.
