Dominican Republic

As one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America, the welfare of the Dominican people has increased over the past 30 years. Decrease in the infant mortality rate, illiteracy rate, and an increase in the life expectancy all indicate accelerated poverty reduction. Still, 21% of the population lives below the national poverty line.

The country suffers from severe income inequality where the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of the GDP, while the richest 10% receive almost 40%. Changes in the highly centralized government would go a long way in the re-distribution of benefits from economic growth.

Since 2003, the economy has slow down as a result of a massive banking crisis that commenced when the third largest commercial bank went bankrupt. A prolonged electricity crisis, characterized by rolling blackouts, also affected the slow growth of the economy. The country’s financial situation stabilized in 2004 and though unemployment remains a problem, the economy continues to grow.

Little progress has been made in bringing human rights violators to justice. Police killings, especially during demonstrations, are common. Security forces often help establish the commissions that are in charge of their investigations, leading to few numbers of perpetrators that are ever brought to justice. Many of the unlawful killings are reported by the police as occurring during an “exchange of gunfire”, though there are numerous eyewitnesses to the contrary. Friends and relative of suspected criminals are arbitrarily arrested and detained by the police, and to some extent, the military.

Prison conditions are so substandard that reportedly prisoners have died due to inadequate medical attention and negligence. Food is so unbearable in most cases, that inmates are left to beg for food or receive it from family members. Some female prisons are reported to exchange food and protection for prostitution. Overcrowding and riots are endemic problems. Riots leave many injured and a few dead, causing the prison authorities to institute training for specialized prison guards.

Women are objects of domestic abuse and they are usually not respected in a court of law. The government has the authority to subject women to involuntary HIV testing. Women who test positive are fired and denied adequate healthcare. Pregnant women are routinely fired or denied employment. Child prostitution and abuse continue without adequate resources dedicated to halt the process. People of Haitian descent are often victims of discrimination and abuse. Freedoms of expression are generally curtailed, and as a result journalists often practice self-censorship.

Women are the most affected by HIV/AIDS, constituting the majority of new HIV infections. Young women between the ages 15-19 have infection rates six times higher than their male counterparts. In general, women under 24 are much more likely than men to be infected with HIV. This is probably due to women being in relationships with older men and the comparatively early beginnings of female sexual activity.

HIV infections in pregnant women declined in the 1990s and have been stable at 1.4% since 2004. Among sex workers the infection rates are relatively low because of safe sexual practices in which the majority of workers reported using condoms. Sex between men is a large contributor to the spread of HIV/AIDS and the government inadequately recognizes its role. About 10% of the people needing anti-retroviral treatment in the Dominican Republic are receiving it.

Largely due to commercial interests, the Dominican Republic is losing around 20,000 hectares of forest lands per year. Despite this loss, farmers continue to clear forests for agricultural use. Along with deforestation, the country faces problems in water supply, soil erosion, and the destruction of coral reefs. Heavy rainfall contributes to soil erosion, which often runs off into the oceans, destroying coral reefs. Water shortages and periodic droughts are also of environmental concern.

The Dominican Republic has a relatively high literacy rate of 82% for men and women. Many educational problems still persist. Schools are inadequately sourced, lacking materials and skilled teachers. Classrooms are often overcrowded.

The main objective of the government is to increase enrollment rates in children ages 5-14. Nine years of education are compulsory, but eight of those years are considered primary school. The focus is for all children to receive at least a primary education. Teacher training programs are being implemented with help from non-governmental organizations. Government expenditure on education stands around 2.2% of the GDP.

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