Seeking the best system to protect human rights: should we follow the African cat or the Inter-American lion?

Autor: Francesco Schmidt

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25058/1794600X.1784

This article represents an attempt to compare the leading positive assets and the major fragilities of the Inter-American and the African human rights systems, in the light of the activity of the Commission and the Court in both systems. The analysis – focused on the main human rights instruments for both regions – is articulated in two sections, in their turn structured in multiple paragraphs. The first section explores the legal mandate of the bodies concerned. The second section examines the functioning in practice of such bodies, in the form of a review of how they use their legal mandate and what impact is concretely accomplished. Moreover, the article will discuss the pivotal influence of historical, social and other contextual factors, fundamental cornerstones of any consequential legal consideration on human rights systems.

 

Este artículo es un intento por comparar los recursos positivos más destacados, así como las debilidades más grandes de los Sistemas de Derechos Humanos Interamericano y Africano a la luz de las actividades de la Comisión y la Corte en ambos sistemas. El análisis, enfocado en los principales instrumentos de Derechos Humanos para ambas regiones, está articulado en dos secciones, a su vez estructuradas en varios párrafos. La primera sección explora el mandato legal de los respectivos organismos. La segunda explora el funcionamiento en la práctica de dichos organismos, bajo la forma de una revisión de cómo usan su mandato jurídico y cuál es concretamente el impacto que alcanza. Además, en este artículo se discutirá el papel clave de la influencia de los factores históricos, sociales y contextuales, pilares fundamentales de cualquier consideración legal que pueda hacerse al reflexionar sobre los sistemas de Derechos Humanos. 

Este artigo representa uma tentativa de comparar os principais ativos positivos e as grandes fragilidades dos sistemas interamericano e africano de direitos humanos, à luz da atividade da Comissão e da Corte em ambos os sistemas. A análise, centrada nos principais instrumentos de direitos humanos para as duas regiões, está dividida em duas seções, por sua vez estruturadas em múltiplos parágrafos. A primeira seção explora o mandato legal das agências em questão. A segunda seção examina como esses órgãos funcionam na prática, na forma de uma revisão de como eles usam seu mandato legal e que impacto é alcançado concretamente. Além disso, o artigo discutirá a influência fundamental de fatores históricos, sociais e outros contextuais, pedras angulares fundamentais de quaisquer considerações jurídicas consequentes nos sistemas de direitos humanos.

Keywords: Human Rights, Inter-American system, African system, IACHR, ACmHPR, IACtHR, ACtHPR.

Palabras claves: Derechos Humanos, Sistema Interamericano, Sistema Africano, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH), Comisión Africana de Derechos Humanos y de los Pueblos (CADHP), Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (Corte IDH), Corte Africana de Derechos Humanos y de los Pueblos (CorteAFDH). .

Palavras-chave: Direitos humanos, Sistema Interamericano, Sistema Africano, Comissão Interamericana de Direitos Humanos (CIDH), Comissão Africana dos Direitos Humanos e dos Povos (CADHP), Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos (Corte Interamericana); Tribunal Africano dos Direitos Humanos e dos Povos (TribunalAFDH).

Para citar este artículo:

Schmidt, F. (2020). Seeking the best system to protect human rights: should we follow the African cat or the Inter-American lion. Revista Misión Jurídica, 13(20), 28-38.


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