The American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) is an international treaty that protects civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of citizens in countries within the Organization of American States. It established the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to monitor compliance and resolve disputes. The Convention protects a wide range of individual rights and freedoms and allows for their suspension during war or other emergencies, while distinguishing itself from the European Convention on Human Rights through its emphasis on individual duties as well as rights.

1. Law Guru

2. American Convention on Human Rights
American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR)
Purpose of the Convention
Rights protected by the American Convention
Restrictions imposed on the Rights
Machineries of American Convention
Differences between European Convention and
American Convention

3. American Convention on Human Rights
American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) :-
 The American Convention on Human Rights, also known as the
“Pact of San Jose de Costa Rica”, is an International Human
Rights instrument.
 It was adopted by many countries in the western Hemisphere, on 22
November 1969, and came into force on 18th July, 1978.

4. American Convention on Human Rights
American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) :-
 The American Convention on Human Rights protects the human
rights of people of the organization of American States (OAS)
 The Convention was ratified by 21 of the 32 members of the
Organization of American State (OAS)

5. American Convention on Human Rights
Purpose of the Convention :-
 The purpose of the convention is “to consolidate, a system of
personal liberty and social justice based on respect for the essential
rights of man”.

6. American Convention on Human Rights
Rights protected by the American Convention :-
1. Civil and Political Rights
2. Economic Social and Cultural Rights

7. American Convention on Human Rights
Rights protected by the American Convention :-
1. Civil and Political Rights
 Right to judicial personality
 Right to Human treatment
 Freedom from Slavery
 Right to fair trial
 Right to privacy

8. American Convention on Human Rights
Rights protected by the American Convention :-
1. Civil and Political Rights
 Right to assembly
 Right to nationality
 Right to participate in government
 Right to equal protection of law.

9. American Convention on Human Rights
Rights protected by the American Convention :-
2. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
 Right to work
 Trade union rights
 Right to social security
 Right to health and healthy environment
 Right to food
 Right to education

10. American Convention on Human Rights
Restriction imposed on the Rights :-
It is to be noted that these rights and freedoms may be suspended in
time of war, public danger, or other emergency that threatens the
independence and security of a state party.

11. American Convention on Human Rights
Machineries of American Convention :-
 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
 Inter-American Court of Human Rights

12. American Convention on Human Rights
Machineries of American Convention :-
 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights :-
 The Inter-American Commission is a quasi- judicial, quasi-political
body established by the OAS charter and the American Convention
 The Commission is composed of seven members.
 The commission could receive petition by any person, any NGO, or
any members state

13. American Convention on Human Rights
Machineries of American Convention :-
 Inter-American Court of Human Rights :-
 The inter-American Court of Human Rights is an autonomous judicial
institution. Together with the Inter-American Commission on Human rights.
It makes up the human rights protection system of the Organization of
American States (OAS)
 The Court consists of seven judges, held to the highest moral judgment who
have a high competency in human right law.

14. American Convention on Human Rights
Differences between European Convention and American Convention :-
ECHR
• European Convention lays down
only the rights and not the duties of
individual.
• European Convention provides for
an optional individuals petition
procedure.
• European Convention can take a
decision against a state.
ACHR
• American Convention stated the
individual’s rights as well as
individual’s duties.
• American Convention has a
mandatory individual petition
procedure.
• American Convention can only
make a report setting forth its
opinion.