They reflect on the legal effects of climate change and forced displacement
During this sixth forum of experts organized by the INTEC Center for Gender Studies and APEC University, the impact of climate change on human rights, justice, and international responsibility was assessed.
SANTO DOMINGO. - Students, university professors, and national and international institutions participated in the Forum “Legal Effects of Climate Change and Forced Displacement”, an academic dialogue space to analyze how climate change drives new dynamics of forced displacement and what its legal implications are for States, affected communities and the human rights protection system.
The meeting was organized by the Center for Gender Studies of INTEC in collaboration with Law School from the APEC University, as part of the forum series of the project “Climate change and forced displacement: its impact on the lives of women and girls”.
Milciades Willmore, Vice-Chancellor for Strategy, Research and Development at APEC, offered the opening words in which he made it clear that the cClimate change is no longer a future threat, but a reality that is redefining communities, institutions, and their legal framework. “Its effects cause forced displacement, transform territories, and test the capacity of states to protect fundamental rights. Faced with these challenges, the law must be a tool for response, guarantee, and, above all, justice,” he said.
Desiree Del Rosario, coordinator of the Gender Studies Center at INTECIn his presentation, he shared that INTEC developed a series of five Expert Forums in different institutions across the country between June and November 2025, which culminated in the XIII Gender Conferencewhere she defined the climate crisis as a crisis of care, inequality, and differentiated vulnerability. “There is no climate justice without gender justice,” she said.
He also emphasized that this national reflection process was strengthened by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights' Advisory Opinion OC-32/25, entitled "Climate Emergency, Human Rights and Rights of Nature," which he recognizes as a historic regional advance.
“Advisory Opinion OC-32/25 recognizes that we are living in a climate emergency, confirms the right to a healthy climate, establishes the obligation of States to prevent, protect against, and repair climate damage, and takes an extraordinary step by recognizing that Nature is a subject of rights. This Advisory Opinion makes it clear that this is not just an environmental phenomenon, but a matter of human rights, justice, and international responsibility,” the feminist explained.
This sixth Forum was held with the support of International Development Research Center (IDRC), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Civil defense and the National Council for Climate ChangeDuring the activity, Yomayra Martinó, founder of Green Energy Dominican RepublicHe explained how a just energy transition could be carried out in the country.
Omar Castillo, civil engineer, addressed the impact of climate change on the country; while Joan Guerrero, researcher for the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the Organization of American States (OAS), explained climate change and human rights from an inter-American perspective.
“The valorization of cocoa husks as a strategy to strengthen rural resilience to climate change” was presented by APEC researchers Marlen Ramil, Marlen Alfonso, and Marisol Ventura. The panelists concluded the event with a question-and-answer session with the participants.
According to its coordinator, the CEG INTEC has created spaces to allow the conversation about climate change, human rights, and forced displacement to continue growing with depth, rigor, and commitment. “The region’s climate future is built from here, from the knowledge and experiences of the Global South,” she added.
Also present during the activity were Alejandro Moscoso Segarra, dean, and Luisa Fernández, coordinator of the Law degree program, representing APEC University.