Transparency Newsletter IACHR

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Girls, boys, and
adolescents in the work
and mandate of the
Inter-American Commission
on Human Rights

As girls, boys, and adolescents navigate the complex stages of growth, they face numerous challenges that can affect their well-being, opportunities, and what the future holds for them.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights plays a crucial role in the promotion and defense of the rights of girls, boys, and adolescents within the Inter-American system. This is accomplished through mechanisms such as petitions, cases, and precautionary measures, as well as monitoring the human rights situation and preparing reports with specific recommendations based on Inter-American human rights standards.

➡️Legal Framework

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the instrument that establishes and guides States in the protection of girls, boys, adolescents, and young people. In our region, this document has been ratified by the member states of the OAS, except for the United States.
At the Inter-American level, the instruments that apply to the fulfillment of the rights of this population are:

The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
- Article VII: All women, during pregnancy and the nursing period, and all children have the right to special protection, care and aid.
- Article XXX: it is the duty of every person to aid, support, educate and protect his minor children, and it is the duty of children to honor their parents always and to aid, support and protect them when they need it.
American Convention on Human Rights
Article 5
- Minors while subject to criminal proceedings shall be separated from adults and brought before specialized tribunals, as speedily as possible, so that they may be treated in accordance with their status as minors.
Article 17
- The law shall recognize equal rights for children born out of wedlock and those born in wedlock.
Article 19
- Every minor child has the right to the measures of protection required by his condition as a minor on the part of his family, society, and the state.
Additional Protocol on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights – “San Salvador Protocol”
Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women – “Convention of Belém do Pará”

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court H.R) have incorporated into the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights, through reports and judgments, some principles such as:

Non-discrimination
Best interest of the child
Life survival
Development,
Participation, among others.

These principles are the foundation of the defense of the rights of girls, boys, adolescents, and young people.

In Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and in Advisory Opinion 17/02 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, it is established that individuals are considered as children and adolescents until the age of 18.

💡 Childhood worldwide data

1 in 4 children under the age of 5 is not registered promptly at the time of their birth.
1 in 5 children are engaged in work that is considered harmful to their health and development in less developed countries.
5% of the total global women aged 20 to 24 years were first married before the age of 15, and 19% were married by the age of 18.
Around 261,200 children are estimated to be in detention.
37% of girls and 35% of boys between the ages of 15 and 19 consider it justified for their partner or spouse to use violence as a way to resolve conflicts.
At least 5% of young women reported experiencing sexual violence during childhood.

[1] UNICEF. Child protection overview. 2022. Web.

➡️ Rapporteurship on the Rights of the Child of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)

The Commission has a Special Rapporteurship on the Rights of the Child which has been paying special attention to the rights of girls, boys, and adolescents in the Americas. It also recognizes the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by this group.

The Office of the Rapporteur on the Rights of the Child promotes the human rights of children and adolescents within the jurisdiction of the 35 member states of the Organization of American States. It works to fulfill each of the functions assigned to it in the promotion and defense of human rights.

➡️ Highlighted actions in the field of childhood and adolescence:

Reports and guiding documents

Practical guide for the elimination of violence and discrimination against women, girls, and adolescents.
Childhood, Freedom of Expression, and Media.
Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls.
Children and Adolescents in the USA Adult Criminal Justice System
Fulfillment of Children’s Rights.

Public hearings within the framework of the Sessions Periods

186th Public Hearing: Sexual violence against women and girls in Haiti.
185th Public Hearing: Sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents in the Caribbean region.
184th Public Hearing: Situation of the rights of LGBTIQ+ children and families in Ecuador.
183rd Public Hearing: Situation of access to sexual and reproductive education for children and adolescents in Ecuador.
182nd Public Hearing: Situation of the right to food of children and adolescents in the region.

Country visits

Paraguay, October 14 to 17, 2019.
Uruguay, May 27 to 29, 2019.
Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, February 19 to 28, 2019.
Peru, October 29 to 31, 2018.
Colombia, May 15 to 18, 2018.

Promotion activities

Experts meeting on children in the adult criminal justice system in the United States.
Visit to Colorado, United States, regarding the situation of persons under the age 18 treated as adults in the adult criminal justice system.
Workshop "Building an International Cooperation System for the Civil Protection of Children."
Visits to Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras to collect information on the effects of armed violence on human rights of childhood and adolescence.