Epifania St. Chals Lichardo est coordinatrice et cofondatrice de Reconocido (Red Común Nacional Organizada de Ciudadanos/as Domininicanos/as), un mouvement qui milite pour les droits à la citoyenneté et à l'égalité pour tous les Dominicains d'ascendance haïtienne, mobilise et autonomise les communautés marginalisées, et accompagne les personnes qui ont besoin d'un soutien juridique pour accéder à leurs papiers.
In the Dominican Republic, Haitian descendants are widely seen as second class citizens. In 2010, a new constitution rendered stateless anyone who was born to an undocumented foreign parent. The ruling was implemented retroactively and thousands of people found themselves without valid documents overnight. Since then, many have been living in limbo: they are denied access to education, employment, health services and the right to vote. Human rights defenders who advocate for the rights of Haitian descendants have been subjected to threats, smear campaigns and attacks.
