20 April 2026
The Question of Democracy Before the Inter-American Court
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has been asked a question that could reshape the relationship between democracy and human rights in the Americas. In 2024, Guatemala submitted a request for an Advisory Opinion on the legal status of democracy under the Inter-American human rights system, in a regional context marked by democratic backsliding, institutional fragility, and growing tensions between elected governments and judicial institutions. The issue is not simply how to define democracy, but how democracy operates within the Inter-American human rights system and what obligations States have in relation to it. Continue reading >>
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25 July 2025
Enhanced Due Diligence
The IACtHR establishes that States have a series of obligations to ensure a healthy environment and climate, and prevent violations of human rights. To this end, the IACtHR develops the standard of enhanced due diligence as a binding framework for State action. This standard includes elements aimed at ensuring that the response to climate change is effective, fair, transparent, and evidence-based (para. 224). This blog post discusses the heightened due diligence standard, as clarified by the IACtHR, and outlines nine key elements of this standard. Continue reading >>
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