Meet Haiti Justice Partnership Co-Chair Peter Habib '23

Peter Habib ’23 serves as co-chair of the Haiti Justice Partnership at UC Law San Francisco.

Inspired to support human rights in Haiti and beyond, Peter Habib ’23 joined the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership. The co-chair shares more about the organization and why he joined.

Q: What is the UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership?

A: The UC Law SF Haiti Justice Partnership is a two-decade-long collaboration between UC Law SF and École Supérieure Catholique de Droit de Jérémie (ESCDROJ), the first law school in Haiti preparing students to serve the public interest. The partnership has historically traveled to Haiti and hosted groups of Haitian lawyers and students in San Francisco. The partnership is dedicated to advancing the human rights of Haitians in Haiti, on the migration route, and at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Q: Why did you join this organization? What do you like about it?

A: The United States has a moral and legal obligation to protect all forcibly displaced persons, and it has an interest in setting an example for other countries to do the same. It is failing to meet those obligations. I joined this partnership to learn from and contribute to a special community of people who work tirelessly to move the proverbial needle forward.

Q: What kind of work does this organization do?

A: Difficult conditions have thwarted visits to Jérémie, Haiti, in recent years, but we have advanced the goals of this program by travelling to Tijuana, Mexico. There, we conducted a series of Know Your Rights presentations, interviewed hundreds of asylum seekers, and compiled our findings into a report. The report was submitted it to the U.S. government and called for a withdrawal of the proposed asylum ban. We host events to raise funds to cover the costs of these and other trips. In March, we advocated before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about widespread sexual violence against women and girls in Haiti. I had the privilege of introducing our hearing.

Q: Talk about your journey to law school.

 A: I chose UC Law SF for a variety of reasons. Prior to coming to campus, I was impressed with the school’s professors, including Karen Musalo, Matt Coles, David Takacs, and Richard Boswell. I’ve been lucky to interact and/or take classes with many more. The partnership was also on my radar, though I didn’t know I could join as a 1L (reach out!). Learning and working under the tutelage of Professor Blaine Bookey has been a truly invaluable privilege.

Q: How is this group furthering your career goals?

A: This group has ranked among the most outstanding and fulfilling experiences at law school. The partnership and course have honed my skills as an effective advocate and helped define my career path. Following my experience last year, I joined the CGRS team as a law clerk to continue working with Haitian refugees. In June, I traveled with Profesoor Bookey to Reynosa, Mexico, to monitor conditions for Haitians and expulsions of families. In October, I joined the Haitian Bridge Alliance and CGRS on a trip to the Darién Gap in Panama. I am thrilled to have been recently awarded an Equal Justice Works Fellowship to continue working with CGRS at the intersection of climate change and forced migration.

For more information, check out the HJP newsletter, sign up for the email list, follow the group on Instagram, or reach out to hhp@uclawsf.edu.