Wendy Osirus is a human rights defender with a focus on migrants’ rights. He is the founder of several civil society organisations in both Haiti and Dominican Republic, including the Movement for Human Rights Peace and Global Justice (MONDHA). MONDHA's goal is to provide support to the Haitian migrant population, particularly in the Dominican Republic. Through MONDHA, Wendy Osirus has guided Haitian migrants on their migratory status, helping them to avoid scams from fraudulent entities. MONDHA has helped thousands of Haitian immigrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent to restore their citizenship rights and obtain legal work status in the Dominican Republic.
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.
