IACHR announces finalists for the position of head of REDESCA

June 7, 2023

Washington, D.C. – During an internal session held on June 6, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) selected the following 10 finalists out of 114 from 20 countries of the region, who applied for the position of Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights (REDESCA):

• Adoración Guamán, Ecuador
• Francisco Xavier Mena Vasconéz, Ecuador
• Javier Palummo, Uruguay
• João Guilherme Casagrande Martinelli Lima Granja Xavier da Silva, Brazil
• Jorge Francisco Calderón Gamboa, Mexico
• Juan Miguel González Bibolini, Paraguay
• María Helena Carbonell Yanez, Ecuador
• Mireya Maritza Peña Guzmán, Colombia
• Renato Zerbini Ribeiro Leão, Brazil
• Rosa Guillermina Sandoval Martínez, El Salvador

The application and selection process is governed by the criteria established in the call for applications published on February 17, the OAS rules and regulations, and takes into account gender parity and representation from the different regions of the Americas.

In accordance with Article 15.4 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR will receive observations from OAS Member States and civil society regarding the finalists, from the date of publication of this press release until July 7 at 11:59 p.m. (Washington D.C. time), using this system, thus complying with the public consultation process.

Finalists must produce a 2-minute video explaining their proposals if selected. The Executive Secretariat will contact the finalists for the technical details of the elaboration of the videos, which will be published in the following link.

Once the comments from the public consultation and the videos have been received, the IACHR will select the individuals who will move on to the round of interviews, which will take place during the 187th Period of Sessions, between July 17 and 21, 2023. It is expected that the IACHR will announce the selected candidate at the end of the 187th Period of Sessions.

The person selected is expected to begin work on August 28, 2023, and, in accordance with Article 15 of the IACHR Rules of Procedure, the Rapporteur is appointed for a period of three years, renewable for one more period, unless the mandate of the Rapporteurship ends before the expiration of that period. This person is accountable to the IACHR, works in coordination with the Executive Secretariat of this institution, and is based in Washington, D.C.

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. 113/23

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