REDESCA visited Argentina as part of the promotional visit of the IACHR and its strategic agenda.

May 23, 2022

Washington, D.C. – Within the framework of the promotional visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to Argentina, Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights (REDESCA), Soledad García Muñoz, participated in several events and meetings focused on the strategic lines of her mandate.

Among all the activities, the ESCER Special Rapporteur participated in the seminar on the Impact of the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from the Public Defense Perspective, organized by the Inter-American Association of Public Defenders (AIDEF). During the seminar, she gave a presentation focused on the analysis of the Court case Poblete vs. Chile as well as the standards and mechanisms to protect the human right to health in the inter-American system.

Additionally, the ESCER Special Rapporteur, supported by her technical team, presented the recent Resolution 3/2021 on Climate Emergency and Human Rights in an event organized by the Association of Ombudspersons of the Argentine Republic (ADPRA), the Office of the Ombudsperson of the city of Buenos Aires and the Ibero-American Federation of the Ombudsman (FIO). The space allowed the promotion of the first document on the subject in the inter-American human rights system and was attended by Ombudspersons from a large part of the national territory, civil society organizations and academia. Also, Julissa Mantilla Falcón, President of the IACHR, and Tania Reneaum Panszi, Executive Secretary, and the Judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Verónica Gómez, were participating.

Furthermore, during its visit, REDESCA participated in a meeting coordinated by the Human Rights Office of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, where a high-level exchange was held with representatives of numerous public institutions and local organizations of Argentine civil society. As part of the encounter, the strategic plan of the mandate and the priority lines of action were introduced, including the thematic report "Business and Human Rights: Inter-American standards", such as the resolutions related to the pandemic and the climate emergency. Also, the Special Rapporteur ESCER held a meeting with representatives of civil society and the Argentine academy in a discussion organized by the organization "Asuntos del Sur" and the School of Politics and Government of the National University of San Martín.

Finally, following the meeting held by the IACHR delegation with the Minister of Health, the ESCER Special Rapporteur and her team visited the "Lic. Laura Bonaparte" National Hospital Specialized in Mental Health and Addictions, where they met with authorities of the Ministry and hospital workers. The occasion allowed to comprehend more about the good practices developed in the institution and the challenges faced during the pandemic. The Special Rapporteur ESCER emphasized the interest and willingness of the mandate to accompany the efforts of the Argentine Republic in the area of ​​mental health and care policies, expressing her interest in developing a prompt working visit in these matters.

The REDESCA is an autonomous Office of the IACHR, specially created to strengthen the promotion and protection of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights in the Americas, leading the Commission's efforts in this area.

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. RD111/22

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