UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership
The UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership (formerly Hastings to Haiti Partnership HHP) is an annual delegation in which Hastings law students visit a sister law school the Ecole Superieure Catholique du Droit de Jérémie (ESCDROJ) in Jérémie, Haiti. The purpose of the annual Delegation is to help strengthen the Rule of Law in Haiti through supporting legal education. The ESCDROJ is the only law school of its kind in Haiti. It promotes public service in the student’s immediate community and for Haiti at-large, through rigorous and wide-ranging legal education, while welcoming students from all walks of life and differing political positions. By being politically neutral, the students are encouraged to work with each other for the common good.
In addition to supporting the law school, the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership collaborates with partner organizations to advocate for human rights. In particular, it works with law students, attorneys and other advocates in Jérémie to ensure that a rural perspective is included in the international arena. This human rights work includes international advocacy, human rights trainings, and work with the Inter-American Commission.
See below for more information on some of the best ways to support the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership and sign up for email alerts to stay up to date.
Our Projects
21st Century Chalkboard Project
The 21st Century Chalkboard Project brings together engaged educators and students both here and in Haiti to develop and implement educational software modules of relevance to the daily lives of Haitian students. Focus areas include STEM education, public health, and literacy.
We are working to transform a cycle of poverty into a circle of education.
Social Justice Clinic
The clinic is based out of Jérémie provides legal services to 12 districts in the southwest of Haiti. Law students assist victims in cases of sexual violence and indigent clients suffering from human rights issues while in pretrial detention.
Over 80% of Haiti’s incarcerated population are individuals awaiting trial, most spending years in dangerously overcrowded prisons without being tried, convicted, or even seeing a judge.
Math by Art Project
Plastic waste in Haiti is commonly either burned, releasing toxic chemicals into the air, land, and water, or discarded and left to clog drainage systems and pollute the ocean. Using educational software, students in the Math by Art Project learn math concepts by repurposing discarded plastic bottles to make math manipulatives, like geometric compasses, from the plastic. The math and manipulatives then provide a platform for students to create art and practical tools, such as mobiles and brooms.
In the news
Get Involved
There are many ways to support the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership. In addition to welcoming donations from anyone interested in strengthening the rule of law in Haiti through legal education, there are also numerous non-financial ways to help. UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership supporters can host Haitian law students when they visit UC Law SF, provide mentorship for their memoirs, and donate their old computers and legal resources to the ESCDROJ library in Jérémie. See below for more information on some of the best ways to support the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership.
Support Us Financially
The Partnership operates primarily through the donations of generous individuals. Please click here to support the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership and help advance the rule of law in Haiti by making a tax-deductible donation.
Hosting in the U.S.
The UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership would like to bring more Haitian attorneys and law students to the United States to strengthen the partnership between UC Law SF and ESCDROJ. Since student delegates have limited space to host guests, the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership would greatly appreciate any help hosting a Haitian attorneys and students. When ESCDROJ exchange students travel to UC Law SF, supporters can also invite them to visit their firms, or to observe local court proceedings.
Computers and Legal Resources
Law students in Haiti have limited access to technological resources that are imperative to their legal education, including laptops, research services (such as Westlaw or LexisNexis), and basic legal treatises. The UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership helps supplement this dearth of resources by bringing donated laptops to both law students and secondary school students in Haiti. If you would like to donate a laptop, please email a brief description of your laptop’s details, including make (Apple, Dell, etc.), year, and operating system (Windows or Mac), to hhp@uclawsf.edu. Please note that the computers we receive are completely stripped of personal information.