Transparency Newsletter | Human Rights in the Caribbean: 2023 Overview and Technical Cooperation Strategy

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Human Rights in the Caribbean: 2023 Overview and Technical Cooperation Strategy

This bulletin introduces the IACHR’s five-year Technical Cooperation Strategy for the Caribbean, designed to strengthen the regional human rights framework with an overview of the strategy’s objectives, including enhancing human rights mechanisms, addressing regional challenges, and increasing support for marginalized groups.

Additionally, the bulletin highlights key advancements and ongoing challenges in human rights across the Caribbean in 2023. It reviews progress made by governments, civil society, and the IACHR’s efforts in promoting and protecting human rights in the Caribbean.

IACHR’s Technical Cooperation Strategy in the Caribbean (2023–2027)

The IACHR developed a specific technical cooperation 5-year strategy for the Caribbean, building on the successes 2017–2021 and subsequently 2023-2027 of the IACHR’s development plan. This strategy focuses on enhancing the understanding and application of human rights mechanisms to ensure States' compliance and protection for all individuals, especially those from historically marginalized and discriminated groups.

Key priorities include addressing regional challenges such as the exclusion of marginalized groups, gender-based violence, and access to justice. It also emphasizes protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, LGBTI persons, and migrants, while promoting environmental sustainability and freedom of expression, particularly for media workers in the digital space.

Through partnerships with public institutions and social actors, the IACHR is dedicated to increasing support for victims and bolstering human rights capacities across the Caribbean. The strategy aims to provide both immediate assistance and long-term solutions to foster a more inclusive and rights-respecting region.

Technical Cooperation Visits

In 2023, the IACHR initiated technical cooperation visits to Suriname, St. Lucia, and Guyana to strengthen partnerships, gather insights, and formalize cooperation agreements. These visits are essential for deepening the Commission's engagement with the Caribbean, focusing on understanding best practices, challenges, and needs of both State and non-State actors. The visits, which resemble working visits, include high-level meetings but do not necessarily involve on-site observations. They aim to enhance collaboration and ensure that the IACHR’s assistance is tailored to the region’s specific human rights challenges. Press releases are issued before and after the visits to ensure transparency, and meetings are held with state authorities, civil society, human rights agencies, and academia.

Structured and Open Dialogues

The IACHR held structured dialogues with the CCJ, focusing on equality, non-discrimination, and human rights jurisprudence. Open dialogues with the Caribbean Ombudsman Association (CAROA) promoted the exchange of best practices and institutional capacity-building.

Technical Notes and Opinions

The IACHR reviewed domestic legislation, including Suriname’s 2009 domestic violence law and its human rights institution framework, to ensure compliance with Inter-American standards. Comparative analyses of UN and Inter-American conventions supported Suriname’s ratification of the Convention on Older Persons in 2023.

Training Programs and Capacity Building

The IACHR provides tailored training for States and non-State actors to enhance human rights capacity in line with the Inter-American system.

Human Rights in the Caribbean: 2023 Overview

Chapter IV.A of the IACHR 2023 Annual Report provides an overview of the human rights situation in the Caribbean, offering a country-by-country analysis of progress and challenges in the region. Some of these challenges were identified as follows:

Advances

Several Caribbean nations made strides in public safety, gender equality, and legal reforms:

Homicide Reduction and Protection of Vulnerable Groups: Efforts to lower homicide rates and protect women, the elderly, and LGBTI communities saw success, with Antigua and Barbuda ensuring voting rights for the elderly and addressing child labor.
Legal Reforms and Institutional Strengthening: Barbados decriminalized sodomy, while other nations enacted laws against domestic violence and human trafficking. Bahamas and Guyana created human rights commissions and ombudsman offices.
Restorative Justice and Youth Rehabilitation: Dominica and Grenada promoted restorative justice and youth rehabilitation programs for societal reintegration.

Persistent Challenges

Violence and Discrimination: Violence against women, LGBTI individuals, and structural racial discrimination continue, with Indigenous peoples lacking adequate protection.
Prison Conditions and Access to Justice: Prison overcrowding and poor detention conditions, along with limited access to justice, remain concerns.
Restrictions on Civil Liberties: Freedom of expression and assembly is restricted in certain countries, with Cuba facing scrutiny for repressing dissent and judicial independence issues.

IACHR Mechanisms and Interventions in the Caribbean

The IACHR plays a critical role in the Caribbean through its various mechanisms—petitions and cases, precautionary measures, hearings, press releases, and capacity-building initiatives. These interventions aim to address immediate human rights violations while offering long-term solutions through technical cooperation.

In 2023, the IACHR received 18 petitions and 21 precautionary measure requests from Caribbean nations, representing 0.67% and 1.8% of total submissions, respectively. Five petitions were processed, and two precautionary measures granted, mainly related to Cuba and Haiti. There are currently 155 active petitions and cases.

Conclusion

Despite advancements, challenges like violence, discrimination, and restricted civil liberties persist in the Caribbean. The IACHR’s technical cooperation strategy, focusing on legal reform and capacity building, offers critical tools for addressing these issues. Continued collaboration with States, civil society, and regional institutions is essential to achieving substantive equality and stronger human rights protections.

For more information on the IACHR’s initiatives and ongoing work in the Caribbean, visit our dedicated webpage at https://www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsForm/?File=/en/iachr/caribe/default.asp, which provides an in-depth look at our efforts to promote and protect human rights across the region.

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