Fifth International Course on Public Human Rights Policies Completed

November 10, 2021

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Washington, D.C. – The fifth edition of the International Course on Public Human Rights Policies—jointly sponsored by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and MERCOSUR's Institute of Public Policies on Human Rights (IPPDH)—ended on November 5.

With a broad base of more than 4,000 applicants for a total of 100 places, the course brought together for its final week 65 participants from 20 countries in the Americas, who acquired knowledge and tools to strengthen public policy management in their home countries. The course addressed several issues and challenges that are present in State agendas, to produce practical and theoretical resources they can later implement locally.

The course had an initial 5-month-long remote stage, with synchronic, specialized sessions on topics like equality and non-discrimination in public policy; access to information and indicator systems; participation in public policies and demanding respect for rights; specific principles to develop public policies; and public human rights institutions.

The second stage involved a final week where participants presented their final assignments focused on design and assessment proposals for public policies with a human rights focus. The final week included a webinar that was open to the public, entitled "The pandemic and access to rights in the Americas," with the participation of Christian Courtis, Angelita Baeyens, Remo Carlotto, and Javier Palummo and with Débora Benchoam as moderator.

Finally, course participants held a discussion with IACHR Executive Secretary Tania Reneaum Panszi and IPPDH Executive Secretary Ariela Peralta, to complete their training.

The International Course on Public Human Rights Policies seeks to train relevant actors from all over the region to integrate a human rights approach into public policy. The program combines theoretical and technical training on international human rights law, the inter-American system to protect human rights, social science, and public administration with presentations of high-impact practical experiences on rights protection implemented by States in the Americas in recent years.

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.

The IPPDH is a technical research institution active in the field of public policy on human rights. Its strategic guidelines are approved by MERCOSUR's Meeting of High Authorities on Human Rights (RAADH, by its Spanish acronym), to support compliance with and enforcement of human rights, which are regarded as central axes for integration within MERCOSUR. Its structure was designed to carry out research, training, and consulting tasks for public-policy formulation, and to provide support for communications concerning human rights.

No. 298/21

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