The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mission is to promote and protect human rights in the American hemisphere. It is composed of seven independent members who serve in a personal capacity. Created by OAS in 1959, the Commission is one of the institutions within the Inter-American system for the protection of human rights.
IACHR work rests on the following three pillars:
- The individual petition system
- Monitoring of the human rights situation in the Member States, and
- The attention devoted to priority thematic areas.
Operating within this framework, the Commission considers that the rights of all persons subject to the jurisdiction of the Member States are to be protected with special attention to those populations who have historically been the targets of discrimination.
Legal assistance to victims is offered by IACHR. More information about it here.
