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Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IA Court) have announced that they are to hold the Second Inter-American System of Human Rights (IASHR) Forum. On this occasion, the event will be organized under the auspices of the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia. This second forum will include celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the American Convention on Human Rights, and International Human Rights Day.

This joint initiative seeks to generate and promote debate on the current and future states of human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, the effectiveness of the system, the need to increase member states’ compliance with IACHR recommendations, and other key issues on the human rights agenda in the region. The purpose of the event is to create constructive dialogue between all stakeholders, including states, civil society, international organizations, universities, social movements and trade unions, and the general public, all of whom are invited to take part in the event, which will be held on December 10, 2018, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the city of Bogotá, Colombia.

The opening session of the IASHR Forum, The Future of the Inter-American Human Rights System, will run from 8:30 AM to 10 AM and will be attended by high-ranking authorities. This will be followed by a tribute to honor former IACHR commissioner Mr. Robert Goldman’s lifelong struggle to defend human rights, and a series of panel discussions on priority issues in the human rights agenda in the Americas (see program).

“The IACHR will continue to use and strengthen constructive channels for dialogue with stakeholders in the Inter-American System of Human Rights so as to continue making progress on promoting and protecting human rights. This second form is also a great opportunity to promote and publicize a culture of respect for human rights in the region, as part of the implementation of the IACHR’s Strategic Plan,” said Commissioner Margarette Macaulay, president of the IACHR. “The forum is a space for different stakeholders to reflect on the current and future challenges facing the Inter-American System of Human Rights,” said Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor, president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

The organizing committee has made arrangements for participants who wish to attend the different panel discussions and activities to be able to do so. For more information and to sign up, please visit this webpage.

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 Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) is an autonomous judicial institution whose objective is to apply and interpret the American Convention. The Inter-American Court consists of seven judges, elected in their individual capacity from among jurists of the highest moral authority and of recognized competence in the field of human rights. Member states are obliged to comply with their rulings.

No. 260/18