Under the title "Democratic Governance and Human Rights Challenges: Equality, Non-Discrimination, and the Environment", the Organization of American States (OAS) and the International and Comparative Law Program at the George Washington Law School in Washington, DC hosted a panel discussion open to the public on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 12:00 EDT (16:00 GMT).
The panel included representatives from OAS Member States, the inter-American system of human rights, and experts from academia and civil society who are working on issues concerning discrimination, equality, the protection of vulnerable groups, and environmental concerns. The outcome of the event will be a set of recommendations for the OAS Voluntary Group for Follow-up to the Inter-American Democratic Charter on how to address these concerns through the Inter-American System in the future and how they challenge democratic governance.
Background
The Organization of American States’ adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IADC) in 2001 was a historic moment for this institution.1 It reflected a recognition of the paramount nature of democracy for the Americas and its connection with the social, political, and economic development in the hemisphere. The IADC alludes to several cross-cutting themes which are vital for the consolidation of democracies, including the respect for human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination as critical elements of representative and inclusive democracies.
The OAS General Assembly also encouraged, in 2023, the creation of a Voluntary Group of Member States to promote dialogue, cooperation, and the sharing of best practices in fostering strong democracies in the Americas.3 Over the years, OAS Member States have reaffirmed the importance of the IADC and the paramount nature of strengthening and consolidating democracies and the rule of law. The Voluntary Group is serving a critical role in the OAS in identifying opportunities for cooperation and interventions in these areas. In this vein, the Voluntary Group has developed a workplan including four thematic areas:
1) democracy and human rights;
2) democracy, integral development, and combating poverty;
3) promotion of a democratic culture; and 4) strengthening and preservation of democratic institutions.
4) A gender perspective has been identified as an important priority in the implementation of all Voluntary Group activities.
Axis 1 of the workplan addresses the links between democracy and human rights. The first phase of the work plan will focus on studying the challenges to democratic governance since the adoption of the IADC. To begin this discussion, the workplan proposes a two-layered focus on discrimination. One prong explores the identification of challenges, strategies, and best practices in the protection of the rights of persons in situations of vulnerability. The second prong focuses on the elimination of all forms of discrimination, based on factors such as sex, race, ethnicity, and disabilities, considering the diversity in the Americas.
The Organization of American States (OAS) is well-positioned to address the linkages between democratic governance and human rights challenges, due to its wide range of instruments and treaties protecting numerous rights addressing discrimination and vulnerable groups. In addition, the Inter-American System of Human Rights has provided wide-ranging interpretations that further strengthen this approach. OAS entities have been addressing not only the content of rights, but also important contemporary problems which impact democracy governance, such as environmental degradation and the climate emergency, which are currently the subject of increased global and regional attention.
Event
Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Time: 12:00 –14:30 EDT (16:00-18:30 GMT)
Location: Student Conference Center, Lisner Hall - Room 201; 2023 G St NW, Washington, DC 20052
Hosts: OAS; International and Comparative Law Program at GW Law School