Rationale

On September 22, 2019, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) approved its Resolution 2/2019 creating the Observatory of Impact of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The Observatory constitutes a collaborative platform that aims to reflect, systematize, make visible and evaluate the impact of its actions for the protection of human rights in the Americas.

The Observatory of Impact also aims to foster synergies with other similar initiatives, and to promote articulated dialogues with universities, research centers and academic networks, as well as other communities interested in the Inter-American Human Rights System.


Background

In recent years, within the framework of its Strategic Plan 2017-2021, the IACHR has taken important steps in the development and improvement of methodologies to follow up on its recommendations, as well as in the verification of the degree of compliance and internalization of the commitments assumed by the States in the area of human rights.

The follow-up and implementation agenda promoted by the IACHR in recent years has gained the support and backing of the American States. During its last two regular sessions, the OAS General Assembly has recognized the efforts made by the Commission to implement the Inter-American System for Monitoring Recommendations, and has urged the States to collaborate in the implementation of this tool and, thereby, strengthen their institutional capacities for the follow-up and implementation of decisions adopted within the framework of the Inter-American Human Rights System.

On this basis, the IACHR has carried out several actions. It reformulated the structure of the Report that it submits annually to the OAS General Assembly and incorporated follow-up sheets that facilitate the identification of achievements and challenges related to compliance with recommendations. It also ensured an increase in the number of communications and meetings with States, victims, petitioners and civil society that have been based on the construction of consensual routes to facilitate and promote compliance with the recommendations.

Similarly, during 2019 the IACHR approved and published the General Guidelines on the Follow-up of Recommendations and Decisions of the IACHR, a document that aims to make transparent and share the mandates, methodologies, criteria and procedures applied in the follow-up of the recommendations that the Commission issues through different mechanisms.

Likewise, the IACHR implemented the Inter-American SIMORE, a collaborative platform that concentrates the different recommendations addressed to the States and promotes a more democratic approach to their follow-up. This tool is essential for the operation of the Observatory, as it ensures the possibility of having updated information on the recommendations issued by the IACHR.