IACHR calls for participation in identifying cases to develop the inter-American human rights framework

June 4, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) calls on States and civil society to take part in identifying cases that may contribute to the development of inter-American human rights jurisprudence. This initiative is part of the implementation of Resolution 4/23, through which the IACHR adopted its Prioritization Policy for Petitions and Cases.

Beginning June 5, 2025, the IACHR will accept submissions through an online system in the organization's four official languages—Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French. The system will remain open until June 30 at 11:59 p.m. (EST), Washington, DC, time.

In Resolution 4/23, the IACHR established criteria for prioritizing pending cases. The participatory process it has now launched specifically relates to paragraph 2(c), which aims to identify cases that can expand inter-American legal standards on issues of regional significance or address matters related to the functioning or effectiveness of the IAHRS.

The IACHR will prioritize cases based on a rigorous review of the matters before it, taking into account the thematic and country-specific focus areas of the offices of its rapporteurs. Any decision to prioritize a case does not imply a judgment on the merits, nor does it require formal notification to the parties involved. Participation in this process is limited to those who have been formally accredited as a party in a case at the merits stage—either as the petitioner or the State. While certain cases may be prioritized as part of this process, the IACHR will continue reviewing other cases in the order they were filed, in accordance with paragraph 8 of Resolution 4/23.

The IACHR appreciates the inputs it received during the initial phase of implementing the prioritization policy. These were reviewed by the full IACHR, along with technical analyses from the offices of special, thematic, and country-specific rapporteurs, precautionary measures, and follow-up on recommendations to guide the 2024–2025 planning process. The IACHR is now drafting merits reports and deliberating on cases, with the goal of reaching decisions on these before the end of the year.

As part of its planning process, the IACHR has continued to focus on processing cases in chronological order and addressing serious human rights violations. In parallel, it has implemented Resolution 4/23 to strengthen case management and expedite decisions on the most urgent, serious matters and those that impact the IAHRS. As a result, the IACHR significantly increased its productivity at the merits stage, approving 121 merits reports in 2024—nearly double the number approved in 2019.

The reports approved in 2024 prioritized urgent cases, aiming to ensure a more timely response in situations where delays could result in irreversible harm. To achieve this aim, the IACHR addressed all cases involving individuals sentenced to death provided these cases had completed the necessary procedural steps when the planning process was implemented. It also prioritized and ruled on cases requiring urgent medical care for children and adolescents, as well as those where delays could have irreparable impacts on family relationships—such as cases involving the international return of children. For the first time, the IACHR also began implementing measures to ensure the participation of children in proceedings that directly affect them.

In response to structural challenges, the IACHR reached decisions on cases that could drive domestic regulatory reforms across the Americas and contribute to aligning these frameworks with human rights standards. Among these were cases related to the absence of legal frameworks guaranteeing the right of Indigenous Peoples to freely elect their authorities; the need to protect communities from forced evictions; the strengthening of guarantees for judicial actors in appointment, selection, and removal processes; and various issues concerning due process. In one case, the IACHR found that a State's electoral framework and election procedures for members of Congress met international standards, thus no recommendations needed to be made.

The IACHR also ruled on cases involving pressing regional issues that impact the enjoyment of human rights in the Americas, particularly among groups that have historically faced discrimination or experienced situations of vulnerability. Likewise, it issued decisions on human rights violations occurring in settings such as social protests, security operations against criminal organizations, and actions that threaten judicial independence.

To further the development of inter-American human rights jurisprudence, for the first time ever, the IACHR examined the scope of State obligations regarding situations including judicial selection and appointment processes; international child adoptions; the regulation of childcare centers; workplace sexual harassment and violence; divorce-related proceedings; restrictions on hunger strikes justified on medical grounds; the right of victims to appeal sanctioning decisions; the application of the precautionary principle in aerial crop-spraying; the cultural identity of Indigenous women being deprived of their freedom; and the role of human rights defenders using artistic expression as a form of protest. Many of these developments are discussed in detail in the section highlighting decisions in the IACHR's Annual Report.

This first and ongoing phase of implementing the prioritization policy has shown that a strategic approach to addressing cases can significantly improve the timeliness of justice while also helping States adopt legislative reforms and adjust key institutional practices. These efforts are critical to safeguarding human rights in the Americas, thus preventing future human rights violations and strengthening legal certainty around national laws and institutional procedures. In launching this new call, the IACHR reaffirms the value of contributions by States and civil society and its ongoing commitment to protecting and promoting human rights. It is committed to continually strengthening and adapting its work to meet the region's current and emerging challenges.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is made up of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 112/25

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