The Inter-American Human Rights System

Scott Davidson
ISBN 1-85521-776-7

This text examines the human rights system of America. While it may be assumed that the shared geography of the region implies a common political and economic destiny for all American states, the expression of regional solidarity and cooperation has often been fitful, if not dysfunctional. The main vehicle for cooperation has been the Organization of American States (OAS), but this has often been perceived as an instrument of, and a mouthpiece for United States hegemony in the region. Despite this, the OAS has spawned a sophisticated human rights system in the post World War Two period which has demonstrated the capacity to evolve to meet the changing circumstances of the hemisphere. The aim of this work is to provide a narrative account of the human rights system and the jurisprudence which has emerged from its institutions.