Witness

Stateless: Fighting for racial justice in the Dominican Republic

A young lawyer fights for citizenship rights for all people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

As the Dominican Republic strips the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, a young lawyer named Rosa Iris mounts a grassroots political campaign to advocate for social justice for Dominicans of Haitian descent.

Stateless traces the complex history and present-day politics of the two nations, as state-sanctioned racism seeps into mundane offices, living room meetings and street protests.

Anyone defending marginalised groups faces threats of violence. In this dangerous climate, Rosa’s story reveals the depth of racial hatred and the institutionalised oppression that divide Haiti and the Dominican Republic.