Human rights situation in the Americas is topic of OAS hearings

Indigenous rights, police violence, guns and religious freedom will be debated in a new regular period of sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

The IACHR (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights) will, between October 24-28, hold 21 public hearings and one private hearing on human rights issues in member states of the OAS (Organization of American States).

The meetings are part of the Commission’s 185th period of sessions and Conectas will participate, as a supporter or promotor, in four of the hearings: 

October 24: Impacts of State violence on the families of Afro-descendants in Brazil (private hearing). 

October 25: Respect and guarantee of human rights in the face of the activities of arms production and trade companies in the Americas. Register at this link. 

October 28: The situation of indigenous peoples and forced displacement in the context of climate change in the United States. Register at this link. 

October 28: The situation of religious freedom in the region. Register at this link.

How the IACHR works

The IACHR, created in 1959 to promote and protect human rights on the American continent, is an autonomous organ of the OAS. It is made up of seven members, elected by the General Assembly every four years that can only be reelected once.

The work of the IACHR consists of visits to countries in similar conditions. These visits form the basis of special reports with recommendations to assist government policy. Since 1965, the Commission has also had express authorization to process complaints and petitions on individual cases of allegations of human rights violations.