Workshop on Dual Citizenship and the Diaspora Vote

Title: Workshop on Dual Citizenship and the Diaspora Vote

The workshop will address the following:

  • The amendments to the 1987 Haitian constitution granting dual citizenship to Haitians who have become naturalized citizens of other nations and to children of Haitians born outside of Haiti;
  • Rights and limitations of a Haitian with multiple passports including the Right to Exercise the Right to Vote ;
  • Possible ways Haitians in the Diaspora can help Haiti.

Background:

On June 19, 2012, the amendments to the Haitian Constitution of 1987, granting Haitians in the Diaspora Dual/Multi-citizenship, were made official.

Article 11 of the Amended Constitution states:

“Any person born of a Haitian father or Haitian mother who is themselves native-born Haitians and have never renounced their nationality possesses Haitian nationality at the time of birth.”

Article 15 which previously forbid Dual Citizenship was eliminated:

Among the rights we gained is stated in Article 52-1 which states:

Haitian citizens [have] moral, political, social and economic obligations to the country.

“These obligations are:

  1. to respect the Constitution and the national emblem;
  2. to respect the laws;
  3. to vote in elections without constraint…”

Important Facts:

In the Diaspora, there are approximately 4.5 million Haitians who were born in Haiti. These 4.5 million Haitians have reproduced children who are now citizens under the Amended Constitution. As a result, we have nearly doubled our population to approximately 9 million Haitians living outside of Haiti. The World Bank issued a report approximately 5 years ago that concluded that Haiti has suffered such a severe brain historically that 86% of Haitians with credentials live in the Diaspora. This group sends over 2 billion dollars back home every year. This amount of money constitutes 1/3 of the Gross National Product of the country and is more than all foreign aid that Haiti receives. The Haitian Diaspora can increase its participation in Haiti and on behalf of Haiti.

Objectives:

  1. What steps to take and through what offices to obtain document evidencing your Haitian Citizenship?
  2. Clarify one’s rights as a Haitian citizen, the current limitations on the rights of Haitians with multiple citizenships and possible obligations in light of the current status of Haiti?
  3. How have the rights gained thus far been achieved?
  4. What remains to be done to achieve greater participation in Haitian society including exercising the Right to Vote?
  5. What are the potential benefits to Haiti for the Diaspora to increase its participation in Haitian society and on behalf of Haiti internationally?

Workshop participants include:

The Honorable Stephane Gilles, General Counsel of Haiti at Miami. He will share instructions as to how Haitians with foreign passports and foreign-born Haitians can acquire their Haitian citizenship documents;

Professor Max Gustave Joseph: Researcher, organizer of the Dual Citizenship and the Right to Exercise the Diaspora’s Right to Vote Campaigns (Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti);

Facilitator: Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste: Organizer of the Dual Citizenship and the Right to Exercise the Diaspora’s Right to Vote Campaigns and Co-chair of NAHP Advocacy Committee