IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Conducts Roundtable Discussion on the Limits and Potentialities of its Recommendations Follow-up Process
May 11, 2018
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Santo Domingo - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) held, during its 168th Period of Sessions in the Dominican Republic, a roundtable discussion on its process of following-up its recommendations with its members and invited specialists with the aim of identifying the limits and possibilities to advance in the development of this process to make it more efficient and effective.
The roundtable discussion was composed of four panels dedicated to reflect on the institutional and regulatory framework of the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS), the evolution of the institutional practice of following-up on the recommendations issued by the IACHR in published reports, except not in friendly settlement agreements and precautionary measures, the challenges of and potentials for the development of the monitoring methodology and possible partnerships for this process (Concept Note). The Commission and invited specialists reflected on the importance of improving internal capacities to promote effective follow-up. The IACHR also considered it necessary to rethink the scope of the recommendations formulated by its various mechanisms and to concentrate its efforts on the design of homogeneous, measurable and concrete methodologies for the comprehensive analysis of compliance, in line with the Special Program to Monitor Recommendations (Program 21) of the Strategic Plan 2017-2021.
Commissioner Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño declared that “the roundtable discussion was an important space to receive contributions for the improvement of the current mechanisms to follow-up on the recommendations of the IACHR, in an articulated, integrated and coordinated manner, in order to promote the effectiveness of the IAHRS.” In the same sense, Commissioner Antonia Urrejola emphasized that “civil society, social movements and academia have been a fundamental pillar in the work of the IACHR since its inception” and highlighted the importance of encouraging the participation of these actors in its processes of following-up its recommendations.” Finally, Commissioner Flávia Piovesan stressed that “the discussion was an important space to enable collaborative work with civil society, academia and other actors, as well as forming a support network and dialogue on the matter.”
For the Executive Secretary, Paulo Abrão, “the question of the effectiveness of the IACHR´s recommendations to Member States is a fundamental aspect to which the Commission should intensify its efforts within the framework of the Strategic Plan. The creation of the Follow-Up of Recommendations Section demonstrates this priority.”
In the discussions, the participants highlighted the importance of the implementation of the Inter-American System for Monitoring Recommendations of the IACHR and the opportunity that it will offer for as a more comprehensive system for the follow-up process. The IACHR recalls that in December 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay to support the establishment of the Inter-American System for Monitoring Recommendations of the IACHR.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 103/18