poverty.94 This poverty can, in turn, create further discrimination and exclusion from Dominican society. 37. While many of the obstacles faced by persons of Haitian descent are imposed by the Dominican authorities, political parties, business owners, and other social actors also discriminate against this portion of the population.95 In recent years, racist and xenophobic rhetoric against those of Haitian descent has grown and expanded within the mainstream media and flourished throughout social media.96 Human rights defenders, journalists, academics, and civil society organizations that have openly condemned TC/0168/13 and defended the rights of persons of Haitian descent have faced growing hostility from a range of actors. They have been openly threatened and branded as traitors, and public demonstrations have called for “death to the traitors.”97 The IACHR has expressed concern regarding these alleged threats and acts of intimidation, which have failed to elicit an official rebuke from the government and can further create an environment of intolerance, making those of Haitian descent all the more vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion.98 The Dominican Republic’s failure to protect the rights and safety of Dominicans of Haitian descent and those working to defend their rights represents a failing of the State to comply with its Constitutional and international treaty obligations, as identified throughout this submission. VI. Recommendations 38. Drawing on the information provided in this report, the co-submitting organizations propose the following recommendations: a. Adequately respond to the recommendations made by international and regional mechanisms, courts and treaty bodies, and by other States in past UPR cycles, to address the discriminatory deprivation of nationality and historic and structural denial of fundamental human rights faced by persons of Haitian descent. b. Fulfill its obligations under Article 18 of the Dominican Constitution, whereby those who enjoyed Dominican nationality prior to the 2010 Constitution coming into effect continue to do so. c. Implement a legal framework that restores the nationality of all persons affected by TC/0168/13 in a prompt and standardized manner that respects their human rights and includes all affected individuals (including Group A and Group B) without discrimination and without requiring them to legally become foreigners and later acquire Dominican nationality via a naturalization procedure. 94 Situation of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic. 95 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Denationalization and Statelessness in the Dominican Republic. IACHR: Dominican Republic. http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/multimedia/2016/DominicanRepublic/dominican-republic.html. 96 Núñez, Ali. “Comunidad haitianos ‘organizados’ denuncia xenofobia y odio en la RD.” Al Momento. 17 de marzo de 2018. http://almomento.net/comunidad-haitianos-organizados-rd-denuncia-xenofobia-y-odio-en-su-contra/. 97 Denationalization and Statelessness in the Dominican Republic. IACHR: Dominican Republic. Page 14. 98 Id. 15