Victims Unsilenced: The Inter-American Human Rights System and Transitional Justice in Latin America

01 Jun 2007

This report, titled Victims Unsilenced The Inter-American Human Rights System and Transitional Justice in Latin America, examines transitional justice processes across the region.

It is meant to serve as a resource for the many individuals and institutions that apply international human rights norms and foster transitional justice efforts in this hemisphere and beyond.

The pages that follow describe alliances, confrontations, courage, and—above all—a growing assimilation of human rights principles at the societal level in Latin America. The human rights triumphs discussed are due both to the principled external pressure generated by the Commission and Court upon governments and to the perseverance and valor of actors within states.

In sum, despite inherent limitations, the Inter-American Commission and the InterAmerican Court have proven to be courageous and principled allies of victims, civil society, and states alike, as transitional justice initiatives have both stumbled and succeeded over the years. As emphasized in the chapters of this volume, a multi-level collaboration among all of these actors is as crucial now as it was two decades ago—since the transition to justice in the region is still far from complete.

Read the full report here