Mechanisms for civil society participation

Public hearings

Based on the IACHR's Rules of Procedure, public hearings are held during the IACHR's periods of sessions and seek to enable the submission and exchange of information on major human rights issues in the Americas.

How to participate

The IACHR issues calls for public hearing requests on its website and publicizes them on social media. Applications are to be filed through a system that is available in Spanish and English. The IACHR will inform the relevant requesting parties of the hearings that have been selected, within the required deadlines.

Annual Report

The Annual Report is the IACHR's main accountability tool. Civil society may get involved in the drafting process by providing relevant information.

How to participate

The IACHR issues open calls for information to civil society. Further, interested organizations may submit information throughout the year, by emailing [email protected].

Working meetings

These are held in the context of IACHR periods of sessions, working, on-site, and promotional visits, and special monitoring mechanisms, and they may take place remotely or in person. They seek to promote dialogue among stakeholders (States, petitioners, and/or victims) to encourage follow-up of recommendations made in cases, friendly settlements, and precautionary measures.

How to participate

The IACHR issues calls for working meeting requests on its website and social media. Applications are to be filed through a system that is available in Spanish and English. The IACHR will inform the relevant requesting parties of the working meetings that have been selected, within the required deadlines.

Open meetings

Open meetings are held in the context of IACHR periods of sessions, working, on-site, and promotional visits, special monitoring mechanisms, meetings of its Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Units (RIRCUs), and other activities. They may take place remotely or in person. They pursue different goals, including hearing the concerns of various organizations, gathering information about specific issues or situations, and organizing various activities.

How to participate

The IACHR issues specific calls to these meetings in various formats, on its website and on social media.

Public consultations

The IACHR promotes various public consultation processes, which may involve in-person or virtual meetings or the submission of questionnaires and/or letters. Public consultations seek to include contributions from various civil society stakeholders in IACHR activities and processes, such as drafting reports (country reports, thematic reports, annual reports) or building participatory processes (for initial assessment, strategic planning, and so on).

How to participate

The IACHR issues specific calls to these public consultations in various formats, mainly through questionnaires that are posted on its website and publicized on social media.

Training sessions and promotional events

The IACHR organizes training sessions and promotional events targeting civil society and other stakeholders—whether exclusively or with other institutions, in person or remotely, at the IACHR headquarters or in other countries. These activities focus on capacity-building and on promoting participation in various IACHR institutional efforts.

How to participate

The IACHR issues specific calls to take part in training sessions and promotional events and publicizes them on its website and on social media.

Inter-American SIMORE

The Inter-American Recommendation Monitoring System (known as the Inter-American SIMORE) is an online tool that systematically collects all recommendations made by the IACHR through its various mechanisms. This includes approved friendly settlement agreements, annual reports (chapter IV.B), published merits reports, country reports, thematic reports, and granted precautionary measures.

The Inter-American SIMORE facilitates follow-up of recommendations by various users of the inter-American human rights system, including civil society, while also fostering their participation in that process because it enables them to submit information about measures adopted to ensure compliance.

How to participate

Organizations who wish to submit information must create an account by sending the IACHR an official message from the relevant authorities. Each submission must clearly state the request and include the names, positions, and institutional email addresses of all individuals who are to use the account.

Impact Observatory

The Impact Observatory systematically maps the effects of IACHR work in the Americas. It seeks to enable synergies with similar initiatives and to foster dialogue and cooperation with strategic partners and with communities with an interest in ensuring that the inter-American human rights system is effective.

How to participate

The Impact Observatory issues calls to promote the participation of inter-American human rights system stakeholders and of anyone interested in analyzing efforts to assess monitoring, impact, and compliance with decisions aimed at improving the enjoyment and exercise of human rights in the Americas.

Specialized Academic Network for Technical Cooperation

This network seeks to deepen ties and cooperation between the IACHR Executive Secretariat and academic institutions throughout the Americas, as well as to help publicize the standards and principles of the inter-American human rights system.

How to participate

Every year, the IACHR issues calls to universities and academic institutions who specialize in human rights, asking them to submit research proposals and other plans to provide technical assistance for the work done by the IACHR's thematic and special rapporteurships and by the Recommendations and Impact Monitoring Section and the Promotion, Training, and Technical Cooperation Section of its Executive Secretariat.