New OBMICA publication: State of the art of migrations concerning the Dominican Republic 2012

July 2013 -- Every year OBMICA publishes a report that compiles the migration statistics and trends relevant to the context in which we work. In July 2013, the report corresponding to the year 2012 was published under the title "State of the art of migrations concerning the Dominican Republic 2012." This effort describes the state of international migration affecting the country through a review of the main figures, events, debates, and reports linked to migration and the situation of the people involved in these movements.

Prepared by associate researcher Natalia Riveros, the report's main objective is to frame migration dynamics within the island of Hispaniola from a regional perspective. Accordingly, the report incorporates a new chapter that synthesizes the main migration trends in the insular Caribbean, identifying the main destination countries of Caribbean migrants both outside and within the region. For example, in 2010 it was estimated that close to 90% of people in the Caribbean who decided to leave their country headed to destinations outside the region, mainly the United States. Among them, about 55% were women. Within intraregional migration, meanwhile, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are the main receivers of immigrants in the Caribbean, essentially due to the high number of Haitians and Dominicans who have settled on those islands, respectively.

The annual report also focuses on the main figures and characteristics of Dominican emigration, including analysis of key 2012 issues such as the increase in yola trips to Puerto Rico, the situation of migrants in Spain after that country's economic crisis, and the trafficking and smuggling of Dominican women.

It also presents updated main figures and trends linked to immigration in the Dominican Republic, emphasizing how the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti continues to affect migration flows toward the country, the highest in absolute terms in the subregion. It also explains how both countries that share the island of Hispaniola, together with Jamaica, rank among the main countries of origin of migrants and the countries receiving the greatest volume of remittances and deported citizens.

The report analyzes the evolution of migration policies in the Dominican Republic during the year, focusing on the advances and challenges represented by the beginning of implementation of the new Regulation of Migration Law 285-04, efforts linked to combating trafficking in persons and smuggling, and binational dialogues with Haiti on cooperation in migration matters. It also describes other important developments such as the First National Survey of Immigrants.

Finally, the report describes the human rights situation of migrants in the country, identifying the main issues that stood out during the year in the discussions and reports presented by the State and civil society to committees and bodies that supervise implementation of international human rights treaties, cases addressed by national courts and the Inter-American Human Rights System, and reports and statements from non-governmental organizations that monitored the issue.

With the publication of this report, OBMICA continues contributing elements for dialogue on the benefits and challenges that migration poses for the Dominican Republic, with a view to building migration policies more in tune with the realities the country is experiencing.

To download the document in PDF version, see the full description in the publications section.