WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Human Rights Institute (HRI) at Georgetown Law, the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), and the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) have jointly made two significant submissions to the United Nations—one to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and another to the UN Secretary-General—calling for reparatory justice for Haiti in light of the enduring impacts of Transatlantic Chattel Slavery and colonialism, with a particular focus on the so-called “Independence Debt” imposed on Haiti by France in 1825. 

These submissions respond to calls for input on the CERD Committee’s upcoming General Recommendation on Reparations and the implementation of the UN Programme of Activities for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent. Both submissions argue that the “debt”—extracted under threat of violence and widely regarded as an act of unjust enrichment—continues to rob Haiti of development and sovereignty nearly two centuries later. Economists estimate the debt’s cumulative cost to Haiti’s economy at between $21 billion and $115 billion. 

Highlighting Haiti as a pivotal case in the global reparations movement, the submissions assert that the legacy of enslavement, colonization, and forced reparations violates longstanding principles of international law. They emphasize that because Transatlantic Chattel Slavery constitutes a crime against humanity, statutes of limitations must not bar claims for reparations. 

The organizations urge UN Member States to take concrete steps toward reparative justice, including: 

• public recognition of the “Independence Debt” as an unjust and unlawful extraction; 

• the release of colonial-era records; 

• measures to restore Haitian sovereignty and strengthen democratic institutions; and 

• centering Haitian leadership and lived experience in reparations dialogues. 

“We’re urging the UN Secretary-General and the CERD Committee to adopt legal and policy recommendations that would remove obstacles to reparatory justice,” said Melody Vidmar, HRI’s Dash-Muse Teaching Fellow. “The continued harm of the so-called Independence Debt is one such obstacle. Reparations are not symbolic—they are essential to achieving equitable development and justice.” 

HRI co-submitted these inputs based on the hard work of students in HRI’s 2024-2025 Human Rights Advocacy in Action Practicum, through which students conducted rigorous legal and field research in collaboration with IJDH and BAI. 

“Our students have contributed vital research to support restitution for Haiti and promote solidarity for the advocates leading this movement,” said Michelle Liu, HRI’s Deputy Director and Adjunct Professor. “This opportunity to support our partner was a transformative educational experience, equipping our students with the analytical and advocacy skills essential for addressing the urgent and multifaceted human rights challenges in our world today.” 

Read the submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination here. 

Read the submission to the UN Secretary-General here.