Press Release
Published on December 17, 2015
Washington, D.C. – Human Rights First today released a new report outlining the challenges to equality faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Dominican Republic, and highlighting the vital efforts of civil society to combat these human rights challenges. The report titled, “Hope Will Prevail: Advancing the Human Rights of LGBT People in the Dominican Republic,” follows research trips conducted by Human Rights First in June and August 2015, and includes recommendations for how the U.S. government can better support the Dominican Republic’s LGBT community.
“LGBT people in the Dominican Republic face widespread discrimination, homophobia, and transphobia leading to acts of violence and lack of access to justice and services,” said Human Rights First’s Shawn Gaylord. “The most recent expression of hateful rhetoric espoused by a Dominican Cardinal toward the openly gay U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and the attention that followed is illustrative of both the widespread homophobia in the country and the depth of U.S. influence. The U.S. government should harness this influence to bolster the important work of activists working to transform their society and cement full inclusion for LGBT Dominicans.”
LGBT Dominicans face a range of human rights concerns including violence, discrimination, lack of access to justice, impunity for perpetrators, and societal homophobia and transphobia. Certain domestic laws directly contradict the protections offered to LGBT people through the constitution, the domestic legal system, and international law. Police regulations criminalize same-sex activity among the police force and marriage equality is constitutionally prohibited. The country also lacks comprehensive nondiscrimination and hate crime laws to guarantee the protection of all LGBT Dominicans. LGBT Dominicans also experience discrimination in accessing services including housing, employment, education, and healthcare.
In addition to detailing the challenges faced by the Dominican Republic’s LGBT community, the report outlines how civil society leaders have worked for decades to advance the human rights of all people, providing legal, healthcare, and other direct services to LGBT Dominicans and conducting domestic and international advocacy to call for enhanced legal protections for LGBT people and accountability for violations.
Recommendations in the report were informed by Human Rights First’s meetings with members of the Dominican LGBT community, civil society activists, Dominican officials, and the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster. Key recommendations include:
Today, Human Rights First will host a 2:00 p.m. EST telebriefing to discuss the findings of the report featuring Dominican activist Mariel Ortega. To join the call, dial 800-875-3456 or 302-607-2001 (international) and give the verbal passcode “LGBT.”
A recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Human Rights First revealed that a majority of Americans believe the U.S. government is not doing enough to address pressing human rights challenges. It demonstrated that only 31% of Americans believe the United States is providing enough support to advance LGBT rights worldwide.
