1959

Creation of the IACHR

Creation of the IACHR, Santiago de Chile, 1959

12 and 18 August 1959

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was created through Resolution VIII, "Human Rights".

The resolution was passed during the fifth Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Santiago, Chile.

Importance and Impact
1960

Approval of the IACHR Statute

Aprobación del Estatuto de la CIDH

May 25, 1960

The Organization of American States approved the first statute of the IACHR and elected its first seven members.

Importance and Impact
1960

IACHR Activities Begin

First IACHR Session in Washington, D.C., 1960

October 3, 1960

The Commission began its work, holding its first session in the Columbus Room of the OAS headquarters.

Commissioner Rómulo Gallegos is elected as the first IACHR president.

Importance and Impact
1961

First IACHR on-site visit to Dominican Republic


22 - 28 October 1961

The Commission visited the Dominican Republic for the first time to observe the situation in the country and investigate reports of human rights violations.

Subsequently, the Commission published a report based on the findings of the visit on human rights violations perpetrated by security forces and other State actors.

Importance and Impact
1962 - 1964

First IACHR recommendations
to an OAS Member State – Cuba

Cuba

The Commission issued these recommendations to Cuba per the powers given to it in Article 9, Subsection C of its official statute.

Importance and Impact
1965

Third Visit to the Dominican Republic

Tercera visita a República Dominicana

Between June 11, 1965, and June 1, 1966, the Commission conducted its third visit to the Dominican Republic.

Importance and Impact
1965
Reform of the IACHR Statute

In November of 1965, the second Extraordinary Inter-American Conference met in Rio de Janeiro. There, it was decided that some of the Commission's articles should be redrafted.

Importance and Impact
1973

on-site visit to Chile in the aftermath of a Coup

Golpe de Estado del 11 de septiembre de 1973 en Chile. Bombardeo del Palacio de La Moneda (palacio de gobierno)

July 22 - August 2, 1973

The IACHR visits Chile in response to allegations of serious human rights violations during Augusto Pinochet's coup.

October 25th

The Commission published a report identifying the repeated human rights violations that occurred during and after the coup.

Importance and Impact
1978

The American Convention on Human Rights

The Convention went into effect on July 18, 1978, after receiving the 11 ratifications required by Article 74.2

Importance and Impact
1979

On-Site Visit to Argentina amid a Military Dictatorship

Visita <i>in loco</i> a Argentina

September 6 - 20, 1979

The Commission visited Argentina, which was under a military dictatorship.

The Commission heard thousands of testimonies from victims of the regime and their families.

Importance and Impact
1979

First Report on Human Rights in Nicaragua

November 17, 1979

The IACHR published the first report on human rights in Nicaragua, using information obtained from the Commission's visit to the country the year prior.

Importance and Impact
1980

Report on Human Rights in Argentina

April 11, 1980

The commission published a report on its 1979 visit to Argentina.

Importance and Impact
1980

On-site Visit to Colombia Amidst Armed Conflict

Visita <i>in loco</i> a Colombia

April 21 - 28, 1980

The IACHR assisted with mediation between the Government and the M-19 guerrilla group for the release of more than 50 people who had been held hostage in the embassy of the Dominican Republic in Bogotá since February 27, 1980.

Importance and Impact
1983

Publication of the report on the Human Rights Situation in Guatemala

visita in-loco a Guatemala

On October 3, 1983, the Commission published the report on human rights in Guatemala, based on the on-site visit to the country between September 21 and 26, 1982.

Importance and Impact
1985
First Friendly Settlement Agreement

March 5, 1985

The IACHR issues a Friendly Settlement Agreement in Case No. 7956, concerning Luis Alonzo Monge of Honduras.

This decision marks the beginning of the use of the friendly settlement mechanism.

Importance and Impact
1986

First cases sent to the I/A Court H.R.

April 24, 1986

The Commission submits the first three cases to the Inter-American Court on Human Rights.

Velásquez Rodríguez vs. Honduras, a case on forced disappearance

The Commission submitted this case so that the Court could decide whether there was a violation by the State of Articles 4 (Right to Life), 5 (Right to Personal Integrity) and 7 (Right to Personal Liberty) of the Convention, to the detriment of Ángel Manfredo Velásquez Rodríguez.

The Commission requested that the Court order "that the consequences of the situation that has led to the violation of these rights be remedied and that the injured party or parties be granted fair compensation".

Importance and Impact
1987

The Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture comes into Effect

February 28, 1987

The Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture came into effect after reaching the minimum of two ratifications, which came from Mexico and Suriname.

Importance and Impact
1991

First Provisional  Measure Solicited Before the I/A Court HR

The case concerns Argentina's international responsibility for acts of torture committed against Juan Francisco Bueno Alves by police officers, as well as the failure to investigate and punish those responsible for the acts.

Importance and Impact
1992
Publication of Merits Reports on Transitional Justice Reports- Argentina, El Salvador, and Uruguay

The following reports address amnesty laws in these countries

  1. The Hojas Massacre (Merits Report No. 26/92) regarding El Salvador
  2. Cases 10.147, 10.181, 10.240, 10.262, 10.309 and 10.311 (Merits Report No. 28/92) regarding Argentina
  3. Cases 10.029, 10.036, 10.145, 10.305, 10.372, 10.373, 10.374 and 10.375 (Merits Report No. 29/92) regarding Uruguay

Importance and Impact
1995
First Precautionary Measure Issued

January 24, 1995

The IACHR issued the first precautionary measure in favor of Virginia Galeana García of Mexico, an eyewitness in case No. 11.520 concerning Aguas Blancas, who was under a serious and imminent threat of death.

Importance and Impact
1995

Belém do Pará Convention comes into effect

Belém do Pará Convention comes into effect

The Belém do Pará Convention entered into force on March 5, 1995, after reaching the minimum of 2 ratifications, in accordance with Article 21.

Importance and Impact
1998
Merits Report 28/98 María Eugenia Morales de Sierra vs. Guatemala

March 6, 1998

Admissibility Report No. 28/98 is published for case 11.625 of María Eugenia Morales de Sierra, deciding to continue with the substantive analysis of the case.

January 19, 2001

The IACHR published Merits Report No. 04/01, stating that the gender-based distinctions regarding marriage in the Civil Code were not justified and denied Ms. Morales de Sierra's right to equality before the law.

Importance and Impact
1999

Report Human Rights Situation in Colombia, which incorporates International Humanitarian Law

Visita <i>in loco</i> a Colombia, 1997

February 26, 1999

The IACHR publishes the Report on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia.

Importance and Impact
1999

Admissibility Report No. 71/99 of Marta Lucía Álvarez Giraldo on the Rights of Lesbian Women Deprived of Liberty

Marta Lucía Álvarez Giraldo

May 4, 1999

The Commission publishes Admissibility Report No. 71/99, on case 11.656, concerning Marta Lucía Álvarez Giraldo.

Importance and Impact
1999
The San Salvador Protocol goes into effect

November, 16, 1999

The San Salvador Protocol enters into force when the minimum of 11 States ratified the protocol.

Importance and Impact
2000

Country Report on Peru Based on Visits During a Period of Human Rights Violations under the Fujimori Government

Visita <i>in loco</i> a Perú, 1993

June 4, 2000

The Commission published the country report on visits made to Peru in previous years.

  • From May 17 to 21, 1993, the Commission visited Peru to observe the human rights situation in the country.
  • From November 9 to 13, 1998, the 5th on-site visit to Peru took place in a context of evident deterioration of the rule of law and democratic order within Alberto Fujimori's attempt at re-election for the third time.
Importance and Impact
2001

Publication of Merits Report No. 54/01 on Maria da Penha

La lucha de Maria da Penha: un referente contra la violencia doméstica

April 16, 2001

The Commission publishes Merits Report No. 54/01 on Case 12.051, concerning Maria da Penha.

Importance and Impact
2001

Adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter

Inter-American Democratic Charter

September 11, 2001

The OAS General Assembly adopts the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

Importance and Impact
2002

Precautionary Measures Granted to Guantanamo Bay Detainees

centro de detención de Guantánamo

March 12, 2002

The Commission granted precautionary measures in favor of persons detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Importance and Impact
2002
Publication of Report on Terrorism and Human Rights

October 22, 2002

The Commission publishes the Report on Terrorism and Human Rights, within the context of widespread terrorist violence in the Americas at that time.

Importance and Impact
2004

First Public IACHR Hearing Held in the Language of an Indigenous People

Audiencia en el Caso de la Comunidad Indígena Sawhoyamaxa de Paraguay, 2004

March 2, 2004

During the 119th Session of the IACHR, the hearing on the case of the Sawhoyamaxa indigenous community of Paraguay was held in the Enxet language, with interpretation in Spanish. This was the first time a public hearing was conducted in an indigenous language.

Importance and Impact
2009
New Rules of Procedure of the IACHR

December 10, 2009

The IACHR publishes its new rules of procedure, in commemoration of its 50 years of existence.

Importance and Impact
2011

Merits Report on Domestic Violence Cases in the United States

Audiencia del Caso Jessica Gonzales, Estados Unidos, 2008

July 21, 2011

The IACHR publishes Merits Report No. 80/11, Case 12.626, Jessica Lenahan and her three minor daughters vs. the United States.

Importance and Impact
2014

First Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) to cooperate in the search for the 43 disappeared students in Mexico – Ayotzinapa Case

Visita del MESA a México, 2017

October 3

The IACHR grants precautionary measures (MC 409-14) in favor of the students of the "Raúl Isidro Burgos" school.

November 18th

As a result of the implementation of the precautionary measures, the State of Mexico decided, together with the IACHR, to establish the GIEI to search for the 43 missing students, investigate and punish those responsible, and assist the victims' families.

Importance and Impact
2017
Publication of Country Report on Venezuela

December 31, 2017

The Commission published the report "Democratic Institutions, Rule of Law and Human Rights in Venezuela" on the human rights situation in the country.

Importance and Impact
2018

Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua

visit Nicaragua

June 24, 2018

The Commission established the Special Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua, in compliance with the recommendations made in the report presented on June 22, on the human rights situation in the country.

Background

May 17 - 21

  • The IACHR carried out an on-site visit in response to the human rights crisis that broke out in that period.

June 22, 2018

  • The Commission presented the report "Serious human rights violations in the context of social protests in Nicaragua."
  • Establishment of the International Group of Independent Experts.
  • Departure of the IACHR from Nicaragua.
Importance and Impact
2018
Creation of the Recommendations and Impact Monitoring Section (SSRI)

The Commission established the Recommendations and Impact Monitoring Section to verify compliance with the recommendations and measure the impact of the decisions.

Importance and Impact
2020

On-site visit to Venezuela and Presentation of the Commission's Preliminary Observations and Recommendations

frontera Colombia-Venezuela

February 5 - 8

The IACHR conducted a visit to Venezuela from the border with Colombia because the Venezuelan authorities did not allow the Commission to enter.

May 8th

Presentation of preliminary observations and recommendations of the visit.

Importance and Impact
2020
Installation of a Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit to the Crisis in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic (SACROI COVID-19)

March 27, 2020

The IACHR announced the establishment of SACROI (Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit) to strengthen its institutional capacities for the protection and defense of fundamental freedoms and human rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 10, 2020

Approval of Resolution No. 1/2020 "Pandemic and Human Rights in the Americas"

July 27, 2020

Approval of Resolution No. 04/2020 "Human Rights of Persons with COVID-19"

April 6, 2021

Approval of Resolution 1/2021 "COVID-19 Vaccines in the Framework of Inter-American Human Rights Obligations"

Importance and Impact
2022

Joint Monitoring Mechanism for Chile in the Context of Civil Unrest

visit Chile

January 25 and 31, 2020

The IACHR visits Chile to address the social crisis that began in 2019.

January 25, 2022

Presentation of the Country Report in the context of the civil unrest of 2019.

December 12, 2022

Establishment of the joint monitoring mechanism for Chile.

March 18 - 21, 2024

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) visited Chile to follow up on the recommendations of the Report on Human Rights in Chile.

Importance and Impact
2022

Monitoring Mechanism for Bolivia Amidst Civil Unrest

MESEG-Bolivia

2022

Installation of the monitoring mechanism for Bolivia

November 22 - 25, 2019

The IACHR conducts an observational visit to Bolivia that concludes with reports of "serious violations of human rights of a wide spectrum and lamentable consequences"

2020

Establishment of the International Group of Independent Experts.

Importance and Impact
2023

Joint Follow-Up Mechanism to the recommendations made after the June 2021 Visit to Colombia in the framework of the National Strike

June 9, 2023

IACHR Installs Joint Follow-Up Mechanism on the Recommendations of the June 2021 Visit to Colombia.

January 27, 2023

The IACHR presents the first follow-up report on 28 of the recommendations issued during the June 2021 visit.

June 8 - 10, 2021

The IACHR conducted a working visit to Colombia in the context of the social protests that began on April 28 of the same year. Subsequently, it issued its observations, findings, and recommendations regarding the human rights situation in that context.

Importance and Impact