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IACHR Judge Margarette Macaulay (left) in talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean. (C. Pitt/BGIS)

If all goes according to plan, Barbados will create history later this year when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) holds its 44th Extraordinary Period of Sessions here from October 10-14.

In an effort to finalise details for the smooth running of the proposed sitting, a delegation from the Court met yesterday with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, at the Ministry’s Culloden Road, St. Michael headquarters.

During the talks, Senator McClean reiterated Government’s commitment to the human rights agenda, and to facilitating the special session.

Speaking on behalf of members of the delegation, Judge Margarette Macaulay gave some insight into the work of the IACHR and expressed a desire for more Caribbean countries to become state parties to that organisation.

She added that the Court would also be organising a sensitisation workshop to coincide with the sessions for key persons in the region.

The IACHR is based in San Jose, Costa Rica, and to date, has convened only 15 Extraordinary Periods of Sessions, all of which were held in Latin American Countries.?? The proposed 44th session in Barbados will be the first one to be held in a CARICOM Member State.

Barbados ratified the American Convention on Human Rights in 1981 and accepted the jurisdiction of the Court on April 4, 2000.?? It remains to date the only Anglophone Caribbean State that recognises the jurisdiction of the Court.

kmoore@barbados.gov.bb

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