Cooperation Agreements

In compliance with its statutory and regulatory mandates, as well as to the implementation of the Strategic Plan (PE) 2017-2021, the IACHR is now strengthening its institutional alliances by means of the signature of several cooperation agreements with different state entities, academic centers, civil society organizations and international organizations.

The IACHR understands that the strengthening of state institutions is nowadays the basis to materialize the enjoyment of rights in the Americas. In light of these facts, the IACHR has the interest to proactively contribute to the existence of real objective conditions within the member states that actually materialize in real life. For this objective to become real, the IACHR has set the goal of strengthening its technical assistance activities with the member states in order to develop public policy with a perspective on human rights, achieving this purpose by means of the signature of cooperation agreements.

On the other end, the effectiveness of the Interamerican Human Rights System encompasses as one of its fundamental pillars, the role of social and academic agents, this is because organized civil society promotes the achievements on human rights matters. That is how civil society, social movements as well as the academia have been a fundamental pillar for the work of the IACHR since its inception and therefore the IACHR holds as on its goals within its strategic agenda, the quest to strengthen the participation of social agents by means of the creation of channels of communication, dialogue and participation, as well as by the establishment of alliances with key agents in the region. The IACHR also pretends to create spaces of active collaboration with academic centers to boost knowledge and interest in the protection and defense of human rights in the Americas.

The Strategic Program 12 (P12) of the Strategic Plan is specifically oriented at strengthening agreements with academic investigation centers and to propel the creation of an Academic Network which is specialized in the Interamerican Human Rights System that can contribute with studies, investigations and other joint activities to deepen the knowledge and generate information that is relevant to the promotion and defense of human rights in the region, as well as to create alliances to receive professionals through internships, scholarships or as associate personnel.

Along these lines, the IACHR has advanced in the reinforcement of institutional alliances by creating regulatory frameworks of cooperation to apply and promote the Interamerican Human Rights System, as well as through the exchange of information and pedagogical, theoretical and communicative tools to solve the present problems of the hemispheric human rights agenda. Likewise, the implementation of the Associate Personnel and Scholarship Programs are among the pursued objectives, programs which allow the Commission to count on the experience and the enormous contribution of professionals to carry out specific work at the headquarters of the IACHR.

The Program of Associate Personnel is regulated by the General Standards of the General Secretariat of the OAS. Rule 104.19(a) establishes that Associate Personal is that which works in virtue of a temporary appointment to carry out professional, technical, administrative, scientific or support functions in accordance with the agreements entered into with other institutions that participate in programs of common interest or to render ad honorém services with the authorization of the institutions to which they belong.

To be part of the Associate Personnel Program, candidates must have a university degree in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, administration or press and communications, and at least four (4) years of experience in similar positions at the national or international level; or a master's degree in one of the disciplines listed above and 1 year of relevant experience, or a PhD. Proficiency in Spanish and English (reading, writing, and speaking) is mandatory, and knowledge of Portuguese and French is desirable.

It is important to note that candidates must be presented and sponsored by their respective institutions.

In regards to the program of fellows, the Scholarship is aimed at acquiring practical experience in the operation of the Interamerican Human Rights System, specifically in the work of the Executive Secretariat of the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights, so that the knowledge acquired can subsequently be applied in the country of origin. Each scholarship recipient may participate in courses and training activities at other institutions, at their own expense, and in general, outside the agreed working hours.

Candidates must be students or professionals with specialized training, demonstrate their commitment to human rights, and have a solid academic background and a command of at least two (2) official OAS languages. In general, the scholarship will have a duration of twelve (12) months.

The following is a list of the agreements that the IACHR aspires to continue deepening and disseminating throughout the region.