The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) installed its Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit (SACROI, by its Spanish acronym) to the crisis in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic (SACROI COVID-19) to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to the protection and defense of fundamental freedoms and human rights in this context, especially the right to health and other ESCER. [Press Release 60/20]

The SACROI will be in charge of closely monitoring the human rights situation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing comprehensiveness and intersectorality, in light of the protection of human rights: gathering evidence on its impact; monitor response actions taken by the States of the region; identify urgent cases within the system of petitions and cases and precautionary measures to provide timely attention; to propose to the IACHR actions in relation to the member states with a view to effective protection and defense of human rights in the context of COVID-19; identify opportunities to provide technical assistance for the development of policies and actions by States with a human rights focus; follow up on their recommendations; carry out dissemination and capacity-building activities; deepen dialogue and articulation with specialized international organizations and civil society organizations; among other actions.

The SACROI COVID-19 will work with a crisis response team that will be coordinated by the Executive Secretary and will be made up of the heads of the Special Rapporteurships; and other personnel assigned by the Executive Secretary, according to needs, who will support the preparation of a methodology, collection and systematization of information, and the articulation and formulation of proposals for decision-making by the IACHR.

The SACROI represents a planned advance in the IACHR's strategy, which focuses on the development of mechanisms to work preventively in situations that may affect human rights in the region. In addition, the specialized operational group to respond to this crisis provides instruments that will support all areas of the IACHR to coordinate an adequate response from the institution for the protection of human rights in this context.

With SACROI, the IACHR seeks to optimize and mainstream all mechanisms to provide timely responses to the human rights situation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; either by guaranteeing effective access to inter-American justice and protection of the rights of victims of human rights violations more efficiently and quickly; either by articulating and coordinating monitoring mechanisms and dialogue with States, civil society organizations, academia, and other international, regional and subregional organizations and agencies for the protection of human rights.

SACROI COVID-19 will closely monitor the human rights situation in the context of the pandemic, reinforcing comprehensiveness and intersectorality in light of the protection of human rights.

Specific objectives

1. Maintain a permanent review of the best evidence regarding COVID-19 and its impacts produced by international organizations and scientific and academic centers;
2. Monitor the actions adopted by the States of the region and offer the IACHR the necessary inputs to evaluate said actions in light of the inter-American standards;
3. Prepare recommendations to harmonize measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic with inter-American human rights standards;
4. Prepare a resolution proposal with guiding principles and recommendations on human rights and COVID-19;
5. Provide information and coordinate with the system of petitions and cases, as well as in the mechanism of precautionary and provisional measures to activate the operation of the IHRS in this area;
6. Provide technical advice to states to promote public protection policies with a human rights focus in pandemic contexts;
7. Carry out virtual dissemination and training activities for the advancement of inter-American human rights standards in the context of the pandemic;
8. Support the formulation of prevention / protection / compensation policies against human rights violations, especially ESCER and fundamental freedoms in the context of the pandemic;
9. Define priority themes and populations for IACHR attention in the context of the crisis;
10. Promote cooperation mechanisms between relevant actors to strengthen the exchange of information and the development of actions to implement and advance inter-American human rights standards in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monitoring and analysis of the impact of state measures

• The priority edition is a Resolution on a Pandemic and human rights.
• Monitoring and recording of the human rights situation in the context of the pandemic, with the articulation of the different functions.
• The monitoring and recording of the policies adopted by the States to contain and address situations in the context of the pandemic, with the identification of good practices implemented to address and contain COVID-19;
• Identification of the opportunity to provide technical assistance to the development of policies and actions by the States with a focus on human rights .
• The formulation of recommendations to the Member States with a view to effective protection and defense of human rights in the context of COVID-19 .
• Follow-up on the recommendations issued by the IACHR regarding the pandemic and human rights and the impact analysis of the measures in different human rights situations;
  

Precautionary measures

• Constant review and evaluation of all requests for precautionary measures that are received, in accordance with the requirements of art. 25 of the Regulations and applicable precedents, with special attention to those that allege a risk situation for rights as a consequence of exposure to COVID-19.
•  Follow-up to the portfolio of the precautionary measures in force with a view to supervising the implementation of actions by the States for the protection of the rights of the beneficiaries and defining the actions to be followed.
  

Petitions and cases

• SACROI will coordinate efforts and provide necessary and pertinent information and supplies for the preparation of reports that can provide relevant standards in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
• A document will be prepared to raise standards developed by the IACHR and by the Inter-American Court regarding states of emergency and others that are relevant in this situation.
  

Promotion and training

• SACROI will carry out activities with a view to strengthening the capacities of the States and civil society in the region on the inter-American standards applicable to the protection of human rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• SACROI will organize Webinars with the Commissioners / thematic rapporteurs and special rapporteurs on the specificities for the protection of the rights of groups and communities in the face of the pandemic, as well as on fundamental rights.
  

Public communication

• SACROI will make the international community aware of the human rights situation in the region in the context of the COVID19 pandemic.
•  Campaigns were developed to promote the standards applicable to the subject.
• A specific microsite will be created with all the IACHR information on the pandemic and human rights.
  

Inter-institutional and social articulation

• SACROI will carry out a work of information exchange and coordination with international organizations and civil society; among other actions.

Work plan (available only in spanish)