IACHR
Press Release
IACHR Launches Inter-American SIMORE to Monitor Its Recommendations
June 10, 2020
Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
(IACHR) is launching the Inter-American System to Monitor
Recommendations—also known as the Inter-American SIMORE—in the
context of a broad strategy to boost the effectiveness and impact of
the Inter-American Human Rights System.
The Inter-American SIMORE is an online tool that systematically collects
all recommendations made by the IACHR through its various mechanisms. In
particular, it is a crucial channel to exchange and receive information
concerning efforts to monitor the Commission’s recommendations concerning
the Americas.
By launching the Inter-American SIMORE, the IACHR is providing a major
mechanism to promote accountability, transparency, and participation. The
new tool democratizes the process of monitoring recommendations in the
Americas, since it promotes greater participation by all stakeholders in the
Inter-American Human Rights System. It therefore strengthens the capacity to
supervise measures and promote compliance with international obligations and
to report on progress and challenges in connection with the protection of
human rights in countries around the region.
The Inter-American SIMORE plays two main roles. First, it enables users
to conduct specialized searches for various recommendations. Using seven
search criteria—including topic/right, municipality, year, type of measure,
location, and level of compliance—the Inter-American SIMORE systematically
classifies recommendations issued in published merits reports, friendly
settlement agreements, country reports, resolutions, and reports based on
Chapter IV.B of the Commission’s Annual Report. Soon, the Inter-American
SIMORE will also include recommendations made in thematic reports and
precautionary measures granted by the IACHR.
The Inter-American SIMORE also gives registered users the chance to
contribute to efforts to monitor some recommendations. By registering on the
platform, representatives of States, civil society, and national human
rights institutions will be able to contribute to these processes, by
submitting information concerning efforts to monitor the recommendations
made by the IACHR in its country and thematic reports and its resolutions.
The IACHR notes the opportunity that the Inter-American SIMORE gives
States and civil society around the Americas to help monitor the
recommendations made by the Commission in
Resolution 1/20, Pandemic and Human Rights in the Americas. Through this
platform, stakeholders in the Inter-American Human Rights System have the
opportunity to report and publicize the measures taken to ensure and protect
human rights in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Inter-American SIMORE is a major effort to strengthen channels to
monitor recommendations and ensure State compliance with them. Its
implementation launches a key stage for the Inter-American Human Rights
System, which requires the constant, committed support of all actors
involved in the Inter-American Human Rights System,” said IACHR President,
Commissioner Joel Hernández. “This tool launches a new way of conducting and
understanding efforts to monitor international recommendations, based on a
public platform that encourages dialogue and the development of proposals,”
said the IACHR’s First Vice President, Commissioner Antonia Urrejola.
“This tool provides a relevant opportunity to assess in greater detail
the strategies that States implement to comply with their international
obligations, and therefore to strengthen the foundations for increased
technical cooperation among civil society, States, and the IACHR,” said the
IACHR’s Second Vice President, Commissioner Flávia Piovesan. Commissioner
Esmeralda Arosemena noted that the Inter-American SIMORE “is a major
achievement, not just for the IACHR but for the Inter-American System as a
whole.”
“For the IACHR, it is essential to support and strengthen processes to
monitor recommendations and ensure compliance with them. In the context of
its Strategic Plan 2017–2021, the IACHR has taken different measures to
achieve this, and the Inter-American SIMORE is the culmination of one of
them,” said IACHR Executive Secretary Paulo Abrão.
The IACHR invites States, victims, civil society, academics, and the
general public to use the Inter-American SIMORE—available
here—as a tool to strengthen efforts to monitor the recommendations
issued by the IACHR in favor of human rights around the Americas. The
Commission also appreciates the support it has received from Paraguay.
Paraguay signed a memorandum of understanding with the IACHR in 2017 and has
since provided technical assistance and enabled the use of the source code
on which the Inter-American SIMORE is based. Paraguay’s support was crucial
to ensure a successful initiative and is evidence of the close ties between
this State and 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. 132/20