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Washington, D.C. - On December 7, 2018, the optional face-to-face week on the Inter-American System of Human Rights (ISHR) concluded in Washington, DC, within the framework of the 3rd Edition of the International Course on Public Policies on Human Rights. This edition is carried out jointly by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS and the MERCOSUR Institute for Public Policies on Human Rights (IPPDH).

The International Course on Public Policies in Human Rights seeks to train relevant actors in the region in the human rights approach to public policies. From a perspective that recognizes the advances and challenges in the region, it offers an approximation to the experiences and challenges that the implementation of the human rights approach supposes for state institutions.

The Optional Week Program addressed strategic issues relevant to the Inter-American System, including: the mechanisms and mandates of the IACHR, the Strategic Plan 2017-2021, the system of petitions and cases, the granting of precautionary measures, the process of friendly solutions, mechanisms for monitoring, follow-up of recommendations and technical cooperation, as well as inter-American human rights standards and reflections on strategic litigation, among other issues.

In addition, the 26 participants in the specialization week at the ISHR had the opportunity to participate in the public hearings during the 170th Session and in a dialogue with the President of the IACHR, Margarette May Macaulay, who stressed the importance of both representatives of the organizations and of the States having an in-depth knowledge of the Inter-American System and being able to influence the strengthening of the construction of a culture of human rights in the societies of our region.

The Executive Secretary of the IACHR, Paulo Abrão, indicated that "this course is part of the strategies that the IACHR wants to deepen in terms of strengthening the institutional capacities of States and social organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights in the region.” He also pointed out that "the large number of applicants for this third edition of the Course (more than 3,000 applications were received) shows great interest on the part of the States themselves and civil society in deepening their knowledge of public policies with a human rights approach.”

For his part, the Executive Secretary of the IPPDH, Juan Miguel González Bibolini, said "The results achieved confirm that more training opportunities must be generated for the management of public policies with a human rights focus. To have carried out the third edition of the International Course together with the IACHR is very gratifying and strategic, thanks to the articulation that complements the view of two emblematic human rights institutions, with their own approaches and roles. Next year the IPPDH will celebrate its 10 years of life with the strong conviction of continuing to work for a shared future.”

The third edition of the International Course on Public Policies in Human Rights will conclude with its mandatory face-to-face phase, which will be held from February 11 to 15, 2019 in the city of Buenos Aires. This week will feature specialized panels open to the general public as well as the presentation of practical experiences on public policies implemented in the States of the region in recent years.

The participants of the course expressed their satisfaction with the week at the IACHR headquarters. "This first face-to-face stage has been even more enriching, because in addition to getting to know each other personally, it provides us with good practices and opens up possibilities for cooperation for the protection of rights throughout Latin America," said Tania Leal, from Mexico. For his part, Leonardo Hernandez, from Brazil, said: "The innovation that this course provides is the possibility of applying theory to the practice of public human rights policies, either evaluating or formulating a new public policy to contribute to the improvement of our countries.”

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 instance of research in the field of public policies on human rights. Its strategic lines of work are approved by the Meeting of High Authorities on Human Rights and Foreign Ministries of the MERCOSUR (RAADH), to contribute to the fulfillment and guarantee of human rights, considered central axes of the integration of MERCOSUR. Its structure was designed to fulfill its functions of research, training, technical advice in the formulation of public policies, as well as support in the field of communication in human rights.

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