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The Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights

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International Human Rights Institutions, Tribunals, and Courts

Part of the book series: International Human Rights ((IHR))

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Abstract

During six decades of regional supervision, the Inter/American Commission and Court of Human Rights have exercised their role as interpreters of the human rights instruments adopted by the member states of the Organization of American States, with some degree of healthy controversy. There has been much discussion on their understanding of the states’ duty to prevent harm to individuals and communities at risk: the extent of reparations for material and nonmaterial damage caused by human rights violations including the obligation to investigate such violations, carry out prosecutions exhaustively and ensure non-repetition; and the extensive legal obligation of the judiciary and other domestic authorities to implement legal standards as interpreted by the Inter-American Court. With its idiosyncratic traditions and perspectives, the protection of human rights in the Americas is challenged by structural poverty, inequality, discrimination, violence, and weakness in the rule of law and by the remaining question on whether organs such as the Commission and Court are truly called or equipped to play a significant role in overcoming them.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Internacional de Estudios Politicos, Universidad Nacional de San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Veronica Gomez

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  1. Veronica Gomez
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Correspondence to Veronica Gomez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Gerd Oberleitner

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Gomez, V. (2018). The Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights. In: Oberleitner, G. (eds) International Human Rights Institutions, Tribunals, and Courts. International Human Rights. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5206-4_17

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