CP/RES. 981 (1791/11)

INITIATIVE FOR STRENGTHENING THE
INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM

(Approved at the meeting held on February 18, 2011)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

HAVING SEEN:

Resolution AG/RES. 2605 (XL/O/10), “Strengthening of Human Rights Systems pursuant to the Mandates Arising from the Summits of the Americas”;

Resolution AG/RES. 2587 (XL/O/10), “Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights”;

Resolution AG/RES. 2601 (XL-O/10), “Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)”; and

Resolution AG/RES. 2329 (XXXVII-O/07), “Establishment of the Oliver Jackman Voluntary Capital Fund to Finance the Inter-American Human Rights System”,

AWARE:

That, in order to accord adequate attention to activities and responsibilities in promotion of observance and protection of human rights pursuant to the American Convention on Human Rights, the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), and other inter-American instruments, it is essential to continue increasing the funds allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and to continue promoting voluntary contributions;

That efforts to obtain voluntary contributions of a complementary nature are part of an ongoing process that tends to strengthen the inter-American human rights system, in whose framework it is essential to consider mechanisms whereby the Regular Fund ensures its sustainable funding;

That it is necessary to strengthen efforts to achieve an effective increase in the financial resources that the OAS assigns to the inter-American human rights system; and


That the General Assembly has acknowledged the efforts of member states, permanent observers, and other institutions that have made voluntary contributions to the inter-American human rights system,

CONSIDERING:

The statements by Judge Diego García-Sayán, President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, before the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP), on March 18, 2010, and to the OAS General Assembly on June 8, 2010, in which he, respectively, referred to the insufficient allocation of OAS Regular Fund resources and recalled the fundamental duty of the countries pertaining to the system to guarantee enough Regular Fund resources of the Organization to allow the system to perform its regular activities, and his communication, on November 1, 2010, addressed to the Chair of the CAJP, appealing for urgent cooperation that the Court needs for its routine work.

The presentations made by Commissioner Felipe González, President of the IACHR, to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on April 15, 2010 and to the General Assembly of the Organization on June 8, 2010, in which he referred to a marked increase in the work carried out by the IACHR through the individual petition system, the monitoring of the human rights situation in the member states, and attention to thematic focuses, and said that the level of work was not reflected in the resources from the OAS regular fund; as well as the presentation by the President of the IACHR, to the CAJP on November 4, 2010, in which he referred to the delicate financial position of the Commission and stated that the agency has begun a comprehensive process, which includes a meeting of voluntary donors to better mobilize and coordinate voluntary contributions, for early 2011,

RESOLVES:

1. To reaffirm the commitment of the member states to continue strengthening and improving the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights.

2. To consider mechanisms, within the ongoing process of strengthening and enhancing the inter-American human rights system, whereby the Regular Fund ensures its sustainable funding.

3. To welcome and endorse the initiative to increase funding to the inter-American human rights system.

4. To invite member states, permanent observers, and other donors, as defined in Article 74 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat, and other rules and regulations of the Organization, to contribute to the aforesaid initiative.

5. To suggest to donors that, they make their voluntary contributions without earmarking them for specific purposes, in order to give the organs of the inter-American human rights system flexibility in allocating resources, with full respect for the autonomy and independence of the Commission and the Court while guaranteeing equitable and impartial treatment in their different activities and projects.

6. To request the Secretary General to continue to support this initiative and to report to the member states on the outcome thereof.

7. To request the organs of the inter-American system of human rights to keep the member states informed of the results of the complementary funding initiative.