EDITORIAL NOTE

From October 20 to October 25, 2021, the Inter-American Defense College (IADC) held its annual Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Seminar as part of its master’s degree program in Inter-American Defense and Security. Recognizing the importance of human rights issues across the hemisphere, the IADC invited representatives from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) to participate. Fifty-eight students from the IADC’s 61st class took part in the Seminar, in addition to 16 delegates from OAS member states and representatives of the IADB. The Seminar was broadcast throughout the hemisphere to an additional 799 participants from 15 countries.

Dr. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and an IADC alumni, opened the Seminar with videotaped remarks stressing the important role played by the security forces in protecting and promoting human rights. Guest speakers also discussed the origins of Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law, and the differences between the two, as well as the evolution of human rights in practice. A series of expert panels provided in-depth discussion of a range of human rights-related topics, including: refugee and migration flows; human trafficking; and the nexus among human rights, public security, defense, and non-traditional security threats.

Students were given an opportunity to put the lessons of the Seminar to use as part of a hands-on, role-playing exercise. Members of the 61st class were divided into six Working Groups, each of which was assigned a role as either an NGO, a unit of the security forces, or a civilian government agency. The Working Groups were given scenarios involving security and human rights challenges, and were tasked with developing strategic recommendations for addressing them. The Working Groups conducted negotiations with each other during the first three days of the Seminar, and on the final day delivered oral presentations on their conclusions.

A select working group comprising participants from the hemisphere who are responsible for human rights and international humanitarian law in the security and defense forces of their countries considered human rights matters given the complexities facing the OAS member states. Their deliberations were detailed and their conclusions compelling.