Presented by the Human Rights Association-Aprodhe (Peru), the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective [Corporación Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo] (CCAJAR) -, Institute of Alternative Legal Services – IALS -, and the Popular Women’s Organisation [Organización femenina popular]- OFP (Columbia)
The 38th World Congress of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) held in Istanbul, Turkey, 23-27 May 2013,
WHEREAS
The Inter-American System of Human Rights (ISHR) represents a great democractic achievement that commits states and governments of the continent and contributes to preserving human dignity, encouraging plurality, protecting life and more fundamental rights, including strengthening democracy.
Emphasising the important role that the ISHR has played in protecting the human rights of the continent, bringing justice to thousands of victims of serious violations of human rights, during both the darkest times of dictatorships and the era of consolidating democracies
Within the OAS there has been a call for a process to strengthen the ISHR that can lead to weakening the protection systems, limiting scenarios of protection of victims and peoples of the Americas, and restricting the right of victims to the access of international justice.
The FIDH World Congress:
Claims the right of each person, individually or collectively, in accordance with applicable international instruments and procedures, to the international protection of human rights when the state denies them their rights to truth, justice and reparation (A/RES/53/144).
Calls on the states of the continent and the political bodies of the OAS to guarantee that the debate initiated in the OAS be transparent, democratic and participatory, facing society, victims and the people of the continent;
Urges the states of the Americas to encourage that the debate be focused on the ISHR being a strong, timely, autonomous and efficient mechanism for the promotion and protection of fundamental rights, strengthening democracies and that it contributes to the protection and dignity of those who live on this continent.
Reminds the states of their obligation to assist with the necessary funding of the ISHR in order that the bodies of the ISHR may count on the complete dedication of its members and offer adequate and timely responses to the thousands of victims who each year report serious human rights violations.
Calls for this process to grant greater powers to the IACHR to speak for and act in situations that violate or threaten the rule of law, to strengthen the system of precautionary and provisional measures of protection, to guarantee a system of thematic and country rapporteurs who can respond to the vulnerable sectors in the Americas, and to strengthen the system of individual petitions.