Guide to International Human Rights Mechanisms - Brookings

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response to petitions it receives. IDPs and their advocates should particularly consider bringing broader
thematic issues to the Special Rapporteur’s attention, including the special vulnerability of Afrodescendants
to displacement in OAS countries and the problems they face once displaced.
competence The Special Rapporteur will address issues in OAS member states only.
contact
Special Rapporteur on Persons of African Descent and Racial Discrimination
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
1889 F St. NW
Washington, DC 20006
USA
for more information
Regional Mechanisms | The Americas
Website of the Inter-American Commission: www.cidh.org
office of The sPecial raPPorTeur for freeDom of eXPression
Background The Office of the Special Rapporteur is a permanent and autonomous unit created by
the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to stimulate awareness of the right to freedom
of expression and access to information, make specific recommendations to states on these issues,
prepare annual and specialized reports, and respond to petitions and other reports of violations of
these rights in an OAS state submitted to the Commission.
What you can Do If you have an individual case involving issues of freedom of expression or
information, you should consider providing a separate copy of any petition to the Commission (page
171) to the Special Rapporteur. You may also bring broader issues (beyond a single case) to the
attention of the Special Rapporteur and urge him to undertake a country visit and/or to highlight the
issue in a report or study submitted to the Commission as a whole, or in a public statement.
evaluation Unlike the other Special Rapporteurs of the Inter-American Commission, this Special
Rapporteur is not a member of the Commission and maintains his own autonomous office with its
own staff. As a result, this Special Rapporteur has been able to undertake more activity independent
of the Commission, including direct contacts with domestic authorities on particular cases, public
statements and reports.
While freedom of expression issues are not commonly the greatest priority for displaced persons,
issues of access to information can be quite important. For example, individuals frequently face
barriers to obtaining information about impending development projects that may displace them.
In such cases, the Special Rapporteur may be able to assist.
competence The Special Rapporteur will address issues in OAS member states only.
Guide to International Human Rights Mechanisms
for Internally Displaced Persons and their Advocates 1 8