Editing Human rights (section)

=== Americas ===
{{Main|Human rights in Canada|Human rights in Mexico|Human rights in the United States|Human rights in Venezuela|Human rights in Peru}}
The [[Organization of American States]] (OAS) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. Its members are the thirty-five independent states of the Americas. Over the course of the 1990s, with the end of the [[Cold War]], the return to democracy in Latin America, and the thrust toward [[globalization]], the OAS made major efforts to reinvent itself to fit the new context. Its stated priorities now include the following:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/key_issues/eng/default.asp|title=OAS Key Issues|access-date=3 January 2008|archive-date=3 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203085159/http://www.oas.org/key_issues/eng/default.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Strengthening democracy
* Working for peace
* Protecting human rights
* Combating corruption
* The rights of Indigenous Peoples
* Promoting sustainable development

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the IACHR) is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States, also based in Washington, D.C. Along with the [[Inter-American Court of Human Rights]], based in [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], Costa Rica, it is one of the bodies that comprise the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/documents/eng/biographies.asp?group=hhrr|publisher=Organization of American States|title=Directory of OAS Authorities|access-date=3 January 2008|archive-date=20 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120112223/http://www.oas.org/documents/eng/biographies.asp?group=hhrr|url-status=live}}</ref> The IACHR is a permanent body which meets in regular and special sessions several times a year to examine allegations of human rights violations in the hemisphere. Its human rights duties stem from three documents:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cidh.oas.org/what.htm|title=What is the IACHR?|publisher=Inter-Americal Commission on Human Rights|access-date=3 January 2008|archive-date=14 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080114130108/http://www.cidh.oas.org/what.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* the [[American Convention on Human Rights]]
* the [[American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man]]
* the [[Charter of the Organization of American States]]

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights was established in 1979 with the purpose of enforcing and interpreting the provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights. Its two main functions are thus adjudicatory and advisory. Under the former, it hears and rules on the specific cases of human rights violations referred to it. Under the latter, it issues opinions on matters of legal interpretation brought to its attention by other OAS bodies or member states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corteidh.or.cr/index.cfm?CFID=25331&CFTOKEN=36922058|title=InterAmerican Court on Human Rights homepage|publisher=Inter-American Court on Human Rights|access-date=3 January 2008|archive-date=27 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027062127/http://www.corteidh.or.cr/index.cfm|url-status=live}}</ref>