Annual Meetings on Human Rights

The Annual Meetings on Human Rights are yearly meetings devoted to the discussion of core issues concerning the development, sustainability and effectiveness of the Inter-American Human Rights System. This event allows policy makers, scholars, representatives of states and NGOs to convene in an academic environment and to openly debate current practices of the Inter-American Human Rights System.

Through a series of open panels, experts discuss issues related to the protection of vulnerable groups and access to justice in the context of the Inter-American Human Rights System. During these panels, expert address the current status of the case law, the political and judicial role of the supervisory bodies and the national implementation of standards and decisions of the Inter-American Human Rights System.

For more information please contact the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law by mail at hracademy@wcl.american.edu or by phone at 202-274-4295.

2008 -Third Annual Meeting on Human Rights: May 30 - June 3, 2008

The Third Annual Meeting was held in conjuntion with Human Rights Month in order to give the public greater access to this important event. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity to address common concerns and share innovative ideas for the future of the Interamerican Human Rights System. The meeting featured discussions that focused on the effectiveness and feasibility of both current and proposed reforms as well as recent jurisprudence. Our panelists include former presidents of the Commission and the Court, as well as representatives from states, civil society organizations and academia.

Friday, May 30, 2008 -

Current Status of the Inter-American Human Rights System: a Reflection on the "Reform Process"

Carlos Ayala, Former President, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Juan Méndez, President, International Center for Transitional Justice, New York
Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Commentator: Robert K. Goldman, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law

Monday, June 2, 2008 -

The Procedures of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: a Debate on its Practices and Regulations

Ernesto de la Jara, Founder, Legal Defense Institute, Peru
Francisco Quintana, Associate Director, Center for Justice and International Law
Margarita Rey, Human Rights Advisor, Colombian Mission to the Organization of American States
Commentator: Matias Hernandez, Researcher-in-Residence, Washington College of Law

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 -

Recent Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: Weighing the Impact and Scope of its Decisions

Elizabeth Abi-Mershed, Principal Specialist, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Antônio Cançado Trindade, Former President, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Rodrigo Durango Cordero, Attorney, Attorney General's Office, Ecuador
Commentator: Claudia Martin, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

2007- Second Annual Meeting on Human Rights: March 7-10, 2007

The Second Annual Meeting was organized by the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law (WCL) in collaboration with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Department for the Promotion of Good Governance of the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as the Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad (DeJusticia), Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL) and Universidad Iberoamericana-Human Rights Program (UIA-PDH).

Thursday, March 8th, 2007 -

Access to Justice and the Rule of Law

Roberto Cuellar, Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos
Maria Tereza Sadek, Foundation Getulio Vargas, Brazil
Eduardo Bertoni, Due Process of Law Foundation
Moderator: David Lovatón, Instituto de Defensa Legal

Access to Justice: Best Practices and Challenges

Natalia Ponce, Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Américas (CEJA)
Sandra Serrano, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)
David Lovatón, Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL)
Moderator: Eric Olson, OAS

Friday, March 9th, 2007 -

The protection of vulnerable groups in the Inter-American Human Rights System

Sarah Paoletti, University of Pennsylvania Law School
Macarena Saez, Washington College of Law
Mario Solórzano, Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos
Moderator: Claudia Martin, Washington College of Law

Overview of the current status of the Inter-American Human Rights System’s case law

James Cavallaro, Harvard University
Emilia Segares, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Juan Carlos Arjona, Universidad Iberoamericana
Moderator: Robert Goldman, Washington College of Law

Political and judicial role of the Inter-American Human Rights System’s bodies: Challenges ahead

Diego Garcia-Sayan, Judge on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Ariela Peralta, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
Carlos Ayala, Comisión Andina de Juristas, Venezuela
Moderator: Dean Claudio Grossman, Washington College of Law

Current challenges in the national implementation of Inter-American Human Rights System’s standards and decisions

Maria Paula Saffon, DeJusticia, Colombia
Gaston Chillier, Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
Pablo Saavedra, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Moderator: Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Washington College of Law

2005- First Annual Meeting on Human Rights: May 26-28, 2005

The Washington Colloquium on the Inter-American Human Rights System has been designated a “Centennial Regional Meeting” of the American Society of International Law.

Thursday, May 26, 2005 -

The Inter-American Human Rights System: an open discussion on the problems affecting its functioning

David Lovatón Palacios, Executive Director, Instituto de Defensa Legal
Santiago Cantón, Executive Secretary, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Fabián Sánchez Matus, General Director, Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, A.C., (CMDPDH), Mexico
Moderator: Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Alternatives to improve the impact of the Inter-American System: Proposals on specific reforms

Michael Shifter, Vice-President for Policy, Inter-American Dialogue
Pedro Nikken, Permanent Adviser to the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Gastón Chillier, Senior Associate, Human Rights and Security, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
Moderator: Claudio Grossman, Dean, American University Washington College of Law

Friday, May 27, 2005-

Proposals on Reforms to Ensure Better Access to the Individual Petition System

Clare Kamau Roberts, President, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Gustavo Gallón, Director, Colombian Commission of Jurist
Arturo Carrillo, Associate Professor of Clinical Law, Director, Human Rights Clinical Program, George Washington University Law School
Leo Zwaak, Senior Researcher, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM)
Moderator: Robert K. Goldman, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law

The Scope of the Jurisprudence of the Commission and the Court and the Importance of Consistency to Ensure Domestic Compliance and Implementation

Sergio García Ramírez, President, Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Carlos Ayala Corao, President, Comisión Andina de Juristas
María Clara Galvis, Attorney, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
Danilo Rojas, Member, Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad, Professor of Law, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Moderator: Claudia Martin, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law