AG/RES. 1489 (XXVII-O/97)

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session, held on June 5, 1997)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

BEARING IN MIND that the member states of the Organization of American States have proclaimed in the Charter, as one of their principles, respect for the fundamental rights of the individual, without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;

RECALLING that Article 105 of the Charter stipulates that the "principal function" of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights "shall be to promote the observance and protection of human rights and to serve as a consultative organ of the Organization in these matters"; and

CONSIDERING:

That, in the current situation in the Hemisphere, which is characterized by representative democracy, the international promotion of human rights takes on fundamental importance and must be given strong impetus within the inter-American system; and

That the Permanent Council convened a special meeting of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on evaluation and improvement of the inter-American human rights system, with government experts in attendance, at which important criteria for enhanced promotion of human rights in the Hemisphere were adopted,

RESOLVES:

1. To welcome the conclusions of the special meeting of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on international promotion of human rights in the inter-American system, which appear below:

 

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

IN THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM

1. Given the present situation in the Hemisphere, which is characterized by representative democracy, the international promotion of human rights takes on fundamental importance and must be given strong impetus within the inter-American system.

2. International promotion should focus on raising an awareness of human rights while fostering and strengthening a culture of tolerance, peace, and development in the Hemisphere. To that end, there was a consensus to reiterate the appeal to sign, ratify, and/or accede to regional human rights instruments and to accept the adjudicatory jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

3. The promotion and protection of human rights are interdependent concepts that interact and reinforce one another. Promotion helps to raise awareness of the rights and duties of the people and serves to prevent human rights violations. The observance and defense of human rights are helpful in promoting them.

4. Within this framework, greater impetus and appropriate approaches for IACHR human rights promotion tasks should be sought, without reducing protection activities.

5. Emphasis was placed on the complementarity that exists between the international promotion of human rights and national promotion carried out by the member states, which have prime responsibility in the area of promotion.

6. The promotion of human rights should be viewed from a broad perspective, on the basis of the criteria of universality, indivisibility, and interdependence.

7. Among effective means for the international promotion of human rights are education, dissemination, fellowships, internships, and the exchange of experience among states.

8. Human rights education and dissemination should encompass primarily all internationally recognized rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights; corresponding duties; and the guarantees, remedies, and procedures for the defense of human rights envisaged in both domestic laws and international instruments; as well as reports of the IACHR and the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

9. Promotional activities must be directed at the society as a whole through all levels of education, with special attention to the groups most at risk—including women, children, displaced persons, migrant workers, indigenous populations, and people with disabilities—and, in particular, specific sectors such as forces of law and order, judges, teachers, and political leaders.

10. Dissemination must take place, inter alia, through the mass media, publications, audiovisual technology, and the Internet.

11. Pursuant to the instruments governing it, the main function of the IACHR shall be to promote respect for and the defense of human rights at the regional level, with special attention given to the needs of member states in this area. The IACHR will carry out this function in coordination with other competent OAS bodies and in cooperation with the agencies and entities of the inter-American system as well as the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and institutions.

12. To facilitate effective international promotion of human rights in the inter-American context, it would be advisable to receive support and financial resources from international organizations (such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme) and from their national counterparts (e.g., foundations, cooperation agencies).

13. There was a consensus concerning the importance of an inter-American program for the international promotion of human rights, which would have to be submitted to the political organs of the Organization.

2. To request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to prepare, without reducing its protection activities and in collaboration and/or consultation with other pertinent organs and entities, a draft inter-American program for the international promotion of human rights, to be submitted to the Permanent Council for consideration before the twenty-eighth regular session of the General Assembly—a task that should be carried out within the allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources.

3. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-eighth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.