Inter-American Model Law on Care
(CIM, 2022)

The CIM has recognized the issue of care as a structural barrier to women's full autonomy and their active and equal participation in the productive world and in public life. In the quest to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework on women's economic rights, with the support of EUROsociAL+, the CIM presents this Model Law as a concrete tool for States, with the objective of recognizing, valuing, redistributing, regulating and generating new forms of care and unpaid domestic work, as well as making visible and recognizing the historical contribution of women in this area.

• Download the full text in English or Spanish

Decalogue for a Human Rights-Based and Feminist State
(CIM, 2021)

The Executive Secretariat of the CIM, together with a group of renowned feminists and gender experts from the region, joined forces to debate and reflect on the role of the State in the face of women's needs and demands. As a result, the Decalogue for a Human Rights-Based and Feminist State was consolidated, a basic instrument that the CIM offers to OAS Member States, government authorities, mechanisms for the advancement of women, the feminist movement, civil society organizations, regional and international organizations, among others, with the conviction that these ten premises constitute a call to build strategic bridges that allow us to collectively move forward to strengthen the powerful agenda of equality.

Download the full text in English or Spanish

Standards for the Protection of the Human Rights of Women: Necessary Tools for the Defence of Women's Political Participation (CIM, MESECVI and UN Women, 2020)

Developed by CIM, MESECVI and UN Women, this practical legal guide brings together a systematic and analytical compilation of 130 judgments, decisions, and resolutions in paradigmatic cases, so that both civil society and public institutions -legislative, executive, and judicial- may have access to tools for the cross-cutting application of the protection standards in force in international human rights law, related to cases of gender-based violence against women. Violence against women in politics is included.

Download the full publicaton in English or Spanish

Model Protocol for Political Parties: Preventing, Addressing, Punishing and Eradicating Violence against Women in Political Life

Studies indicate that although women's participation in political parties has expanded, women continue to be poorly represented in leadership positions and multiple gender-related barriers persist that limit their trajectories in these spaces. Furthermore, since the issue of violence against women in politics was incorporated into the agenda of national and international organizations, the research carried out and the testimonies of women have shown that this violence occurs largely within political parties. This Protocol seeks to support the party leaderships that direct the modernization of these spaces, as well as the party members that demand it.

Download the full text in: English o Spanish

Political harassment and violence against women in the framework of the Belem Do Para Convention
(CIM,2016)

This fact sheet looks at the objectives and content of the "Declaration on Political Harassment and Violence against Women," adopted by the Conference of States Party to the Belém do Pará Convention in October 2015.

• Fact Sheet in: English or Spanish
• "Declaration on Political Harassment and Violence against Women" in: English or Spanish

Women's citizenship in the democracies of the Americas
(CIM, UN Women & IDEA International, 2013)

This analysis of democratic systems from the perspective of women's rights and citizenship goes beyond classic notions of representation to encompass other spheres of life, including gender, inter-culturalism, reproductive rights and sexual citizenship.

• Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Chapter on the English-speaking Caribbean (PDF)
• Chapter on Canada (PDF)

Banking on parity: Democratizing the political system in Latin America

This series of analytical case studies explores the adoption and preliminary implementation of parity in Bolivia, Costa Rica and Ecuador as a sustainable and institutionalized alternative to quotas or other affirmative action measures.

Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)

A Citizens’ Democracy: Visions and debates from the perspective of women’s rights in the Americas

This publication brings together the ideas, strategies and experiences shared during the First Hemispheric Forum "Women's leadership for a citizen's democracy"

Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)

Institutionalization of a gender approach in the Ministries of Labour of the Americas: Follow-up to the workshops on strategic planning with a gender perspective
(CIM, July 2012)

This publication focuses on the follow-up process to a series of sub-regional capacity-development workshops with the Ministries of Labour and National Machineries for the Advancement of Women.

• Full text in: English or Spanish

Training Guide: Gender-Responsive Participatory Strategic Planning
(CIM, 2011)

Applying strategic planning with a gender perspective to the labour sector is an effective management mechanism to help foster gender equity and equality in the four components of the decent work framework: promotion of labor rights, work opportunities, improvement of social protection and the strengthening of social dialogue.

• Full text in: English or Spanish

Advancing gender equality in the context of decent work
(CIM, November 2011)

This study analyzes the achievements and persistent challenges to advancing women's rights and gender equality in the world of work. It also follows-up on the actions undertaken at the Ministerial level in fulfillment of agreed commitments, re-framing the analysis of the situation of women in the hemisphere in light of the effects of the economic and financial crises on women and men in the labour market.

• Full text in: English or Spanish

Decalogue for a Human Rights-Based and Feminist State
(CIM, 2021)

The Executive Secretariat of the CIM, together with a group of renowned feminists and gender experts from the region, joined forces to debate and reflect on the role of the State in the face of women's needs and demands. As a result, the Decalogue for a Human Rights-Based and Feminist State was consolidated, a basic instrument that the CIM offers to OAS Member States, government authorities, mechanisms for the advancement of women, the feminist movement, civil society organizations, regional and international organizations, among others, with the conviction that these ten premises constitute a call to build strategic bridges that allow us to collectively move forward to strengthen the powerful agenda of equality.

Download the full text in English or Spanish

Inter-American Guidelines on Gender Equality as a Good of Humanity
(CIM, 2017)

Gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is an objective of 193 countries in the world, embodied in the 2030 Agenda. The Agenda for Gender Equality is today a key part of the good in the world. It has a centrality and consensus both regionally and internationally. These Guidelines seek to support, strengthen and guide the fight to promote and defend the commitments assumed by the States of the Americas through a multiplicity of legal and political agreements.

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Women, Drug Policies, and Incarceration: A Guide for Policy Reform in Latin America and the Caribbean
(WOLA, IDPC, DeJusticia and CIM/OAS, 2016)

This guide for policymakers offers a road map of policy reforms based on a human rights and public health framework and from a gender perspective. It includes a set of guiding principles relevant for countries across the region and offers an array of concrete public policy recommendations covering seven specific categories: more inclusive drug policies; drug policy reforms; alternatives to incarceration; cultivation and drug processing; social inclusion programs; women who are pregnant or have dependents; and data collection and analysis.

Full publication in: English, Spanish or Portuguese

Women and drugs in the Americas: A policy working paper
(CIM, 2014)

This document seeks to contribute to the work of the CIM and the CICAD within the OAS, and to its Member States, on the issue of drugs, from a perspective of gender equality and human rights. It offers a review and analysis of the available information, country by country, as well as concrete recommendations for policy formulation.

• Full text of the document in : English or Spanish

Human Rights of Women Living with HIV in the Americas
(CIM, 2016)

To mark International Zero Discrimation Day, CIM and UNAIDS launched this hemispheric report on the human rights of women living with HIV in the continent.

The report will serve to inform discussions among OAS member states and their allies of the challenges that gender inequalities represent for the response to HIV, and of the actions that must be implemented at scale and that are necessary in order to create strategies that will enable HIV-positive women to exercise their rights to decent work, education, housing, healthcare, social protection, information, and social and political participation, and to live free from stigma, discrimination, and violence.

Download the full report in English or Spanish

Guide to strengthening the exercise of the human rights of women living with HIV in Latin America
(CIM, 2014)

To mark International Human Rights Day and World AIDS Day, CIM and UNAIDS published this Guide in the framework of the OAS/UNAIDS collaboration agreement (January 2013).

The Guide is a practical resource that can be used by people living with or affected by HIV in order to raise their awareness of human rights and their significance in the context of women living with HIV, to strengthen advocacy for the full exercise of their rights and to promote the development of public policy and programming in this area.

Download the full publication (only available in Spanish)

Promising practices in the integrated management of HIV and violence against women

The project has identified 10 promising practices in Latin America that are notable for their integrated focus on HIV and violence against women. The practices included in this document, which seeks to promote the exchange of experiences and the development of capacity, were implemented in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Uruguay.

Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)

HIV and violence against women in Central America: A human rights-based comparative analysis of the legal framework

This document aims to provide a basis for policy and programme design that integrates HIV and VAW from a human rights perspective in Central America. The inclusion of human rights in relation to VAW within the body of the law coincided with the appearance of the HIV epidemic and a growing governmental concern for the enormous human, social and economic costs of this new epidemic.

The law should promote respect for and guarantee the protection of human rights of all members of society. On this basis, it is of interest to understand how the different States use the law to address the multiple links between HIV and VAW, in order to eliminate human rights violations against women surviving in these contexts.

Full text in English or Spanish

Integrated policy and program model for addressing HIV and violence against women in Panama

The model that is presented in this document aims to guide governmental and non-governmental organizations in integrating policies and programs that address HIV and violence against women; identifying lessons learned that can be adapted and applied to different local and national contexts.

Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)

Integrated policy and program model for addressing HIV and violence against women in Guatemala

The model that is presented in this document aims to guide governmental and non-governmental organizations in integrating policies and programs that address HIV and violence against women; identifying lessons learned that can be adapted and applied to different local and national contexts.

Full text (PDF, only available in Spanish)

Ethical considerations for an integral response to human rights, HIV and violence against women in Central America

This document looks at the challenges in developing programmes and policies that integrate HIV and VAW on the basis of justice, gender equality and human rights and suggests ethical considerations for the health, social protection and other sectors that focus on HIV and/or violence against women, where efforts to integrate the two issues may be particularly relevant.

The aim of the document is to provide a guide to ethical thinking and decision-making, as well as the establishment of multi-sectoral partnerships and the search for common ground with the meaningful involvement of those who are at the intersection of violence against women and HIV – particularly women living with HIV and women with experience of violence.

Full text in: English or Spanish

Situation analysis: HIV and violence against women

The aim of these situation analyses is to describe, on the basis of a unified methodology utilized in all four countries, the socio-economic and demographic context of the country, the dimensions of the HIV and violence against women epidemics (prevalence and incidence), as well as their impact on women, families and communities. The analysis also explores some of the strengths and weaknesses of existing national policies and strategies and the institutional/organizational framework.

• El Salvador (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Guatemala (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Honduras (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Panama (PDF, only available in Spanish)

Stakeholder analysis: HIV and violence against women

These stakeholder analyses complement the situation analyses with an identification of key sectors and institutions involved in an integrated model for addressing HIV and violence against women in the four project countries. The analyses look at the institutional profiles of each actor (goal, objectives, initiatives), their capacities, experience with inter-sectoral coordination and motivation in terms of the two thematic axes of the project.

• El Salvador (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Guatemala (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Honduras (PDF, only available in Spanish)
• Panama (PDF, only available in Spanish)

Violence in the Americas: A Regional Analysis (CIM, 2001)

By the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention of Belém do Pará (2000), it was apparent that the profound changes anticipated as a result of the Convention had not taken place. Civil society, international organizations, and the CIM examined what had been achieved in order to determine the real impact of the strategies for eradicating violence against women. This report provides an analysis of progress made in implementing the Convention up to 2000, the obstacles faced, and future endeavours.

Full text of the Regional Report

Sub-regional analyses:

• National Programs to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Violence Against Women in Ten Caribbean Countries (PDF)
• National Programs to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Violence against Women in the Central American Region (PDF)
• National Programs to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Violence against Women in the South American Region (PDF)
• National Programs to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Violence against Women in the Andean Region (PDF)

In Modern Bondage: Sex Trafficking in the Americas (CIM, 2002)

The trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is a daily reality for the regions of Central America and the Caribbean. It affects each country uniquely, with a different combination of challenges for government agencies, non-governmental organizations and society in general. This study presents the results of research in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic

Full text of the study (PDF)

Other documents:

• Trafficking of women and children: Research findings and follow-up, in: English, Spanish, Portuguese or French
• The Trafficking of Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation in the Americas Full document (PDF) or Fact sheet (PDF)
• Summary of Final Report on the Trafficking of Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation in the Americas (PDF)

Inter-American Program for the Promotion of Women's Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality
(IAP, 2000)

Adopted by the OAS General Assembly in 2000, the IAP seeks to:i) systematically integrating the gender perspective in all organs, bodies, and entities of the interAmerican system; and ii) encouraging OAS member states to relate public policies, strategies, and proposal aimed at promoting the human rights of women and gender equality in all areas of life.

• Download the full document in English or Spanish

Declaration of Santo Domingo on Equality and Autonomy in the Exercise of Women's Political Rights for Strengthening Democracy
(2019)

Adopted by the Thirty-eighth Assembly of Delegates, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the Declaration establishes a series of mandates for the States and the CIM in their work to advance the full exercise of women's political rights to strengthen democratic governance.

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Declaration of Lima on Equality and Autonomy in the Exercise of Women's Economic Rights
(2016)

Adopted by the Thirty-seventh Assembly of Delegates, held in Lima, Peru, the Declaration establishes a series of mandates for the States and the CIM in their work to advance the full exercise of women's economic rights to strengthen integral sustainable development.

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CIM Strategic Plan 2016-2021
(CIM, 2016)

Adopted by the Thirty-seventh Assembly of Delegates, held in Lima, Peru, the plan sets out the strategic objectives of the CIM for the next five years and includes programmatic areas and activities planned for the next period in two thematic axes derived from the fundamental mandates of the Commission .

• Download the full document in English or English

Declaration of San Jose on the Economic and Political Empowerment of Women
(2012)

Adopted by the Thirty-sixth Assembly of Delegates, held in San José, Costa Rica, the Declaration establishes a series of mandates for the States and the CIM in their work to advance the economic and political empowerment of women.

• Download the full document in English or English

CIM Strategic Plan 2011-2016
(CIM, 2016)

Adopted by the Thirty-fifth Assembly of Delegates, held in Mexico City, the plan sets out the strategic objectives of the CIM for the next five years and includes programmatic areas and activities planned for the next period in the thematic axes derived from the key mandates of the Commission.

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Triennial Program of Work of the CIM

In each Assembly of Delegates of the CIM, the execution of the Strategic Plan is specified through a Triennial Work Program, which allows a mid-term evaluation of the execution of the Plan and to carry forward or adjust strategic objectives according to the progress made and obstacles encountered.

• CIM Triennial Program of Work 2019-2022 (PDF)
• CIM Triennial Program of Work 2016-2019 (Word)
• CIM Triennial Program of Work 2013-2015 (Word)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2011-2012 (Word)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2009-2010 (PDF)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2007-2008 (PDF)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2005-2006 (PDF)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2003-2004 (PDF)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 2001-2002 (PDF)
• CIM Biennial Program of Work 1999-2000 (PDF)

CIM Plan of Action on Women's Participation in Power and Decision-Making 1998 (PDF)