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WORKING
SESSION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS AND STANDARDS IN THE
INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
March
1, 2003, Hall of the Americas, Headquarters Building,
Organization of American States
In
the context of initiatives within the OAS and the Summit of the Americas
process to improve and strengthen the inter-American system for the
protection and promotion of human rights, the Inter-American Commission,
together with the International Justice Project, organized a
one-day working session on March 1, 2003 at OAS Headquarters to address
the challenges and possible solutions for OAS member states in
implementing their international human rights commitments. The event was
comprised of four panels, an introductory panel that provided a context
and overview of issues for the session, and three additional panels
focusing on legislative, judicial and intra-governmental mechanisms and
initiatives to implement international human rights obligations and
standards.
The session provided a valuable opportunity for collaboration
among governments and institutions of the inter-American system to
enhance the practical effect of international human rights protections
in this region. Documentation relating to the event, including the
biographies and presentations of panelists and related writings, courts
decisions, and the text of a comprehensive manual from the event, can be
found on the web site of the International Justice Project at http://www.internationaljusticeproject.org/trainingOAS.cfm.
PROGRAM
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8:15-8:45
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Registration,
breakfast |
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8:45-9:00 |
Introduction
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Lic.
Marta Altolaguirre, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
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9:00-10:30
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Opening
Panel – “Implementation of International Human Rights
Obligations and Respect for International Standards: An Overview
of the Issues, Problems and Challenges” |
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Panel
provided a historical, legal and political context for the
conference and outlined some of the main issues, problems and
challenges in implementing international human rights commitments,
including an overview of previous OAS initiatives on this topic. |
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Panelists:
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Juan
Méndez, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
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Pedro
Nikken, former Judge and President, Inter-American Court of Human
Rights |
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Mariclaire
Acosta, Special Ambassador for Human Rights and Democracy,
Government of Mexico |
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Professor
Leo Zwaak, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Utrecht
University |
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10:30-10:40 |
Break
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10:40-11:40
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Panel
on “Implementation through legislative, administrative and
policy mechanisms” |
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Panel
provided an overview of the variety of legislative, administrative
and policy avenues available to implement human rights
obligations, including past experiences as well as new approaches
and suggestions. |
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Moderator:
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Roberto
Cuéllar, Executive Director, Inter-American Institute of Human
Rights |
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Panelists:
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Marcela
Briceño Donn, Director, Office of Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of
Colombia |
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Jorge
Taiana, Secretary for Human Rights, Province of Buenos Aires,
Argentina |
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Carlos
Ayala, Professor of Constitutional and International Law, former
Member and President, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
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11:40-12:00 |
Discussion
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12:00-1:30 |
Lunch
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1:30-2:50
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Panel
on “Implementation through Judicial, quasi-judicial and other
supervisory mechanisms” |
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Panel
provided an overview of the manner in which courts and other human
rights supervisory bodies may give effect to implement
international human rights obligations. |
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Moderator:
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Assistant
Magistrate Rodrígo Uprimny, Constitutional
Court of Colombia |
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Panelists:
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Penny
White, former Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court |
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Hon.
Sir C.M. Dennis Byron, Chief Justice, Eastern Caribbean Court of
Appeal |
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Hon.
Abdullai Conteh, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Belize
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Dr.
Leopoldo Héctor Schiffrin, Vice-President, Chamber II, Federal
Court of Appeal of La Plata, Argentina |
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2:50-3:10 |
Discussion
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3:10-3:20 |
Break
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3:20-4:20
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Panel
on “Implementation through Intrastate levels of government,
including federal, state/provincial and municipal jurisdictions” |
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Panel
provided an overview of the political and legal complications
arising from divisions of responsibility within (e.g.
interdepartmental) and between (e.g. federal-state) levels of
government that affect the implementation of international human
rights protections. |
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Moderator:
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Clare
Roberts, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
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Panelists:
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Katherine
Gorove, Office of the Legal Adviser, US Department of State |
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Flávia
Piovesan, Professor, Faculty of Law, PUC, São Paulo, Brazil |
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Lucie
Lamarche, Professor, Faculty of Juridical Science, University of
Quebec at Montreal |
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4:20-4:30 |
Discussion
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4:30-4:45
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Closing
– José Zalaquett, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
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4:45-6:00 |
Reception |
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