Brazilian jurist elected to OAS human rights commission

Brazilian jurist Flávia Piovesan was elected to serve as advisor to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) during the 47th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Cancún, Mexico, on Wednesday (June 21).

She will serve a four-year term as one of the seven members of a commission that monitors human rights in the 34 OAS member states. Two other Latin American jurists—Joel Hernandez and Antonia Urrejola—were elected for an equal term among candidates from six countries (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the United States, Mexico, and Uruguay).

Through a press release, Brazil's Foreign Ministry celebrated the election as as a confirmation of the “continued commitment” of the Brazilian government to the promotion and protection of human rights, which “reflects the international recognition of the positive and constant contribution of Brazil to the work of the OAS.” The ministry went on to thanking the countries that supported Piovesan's election.

Flávia Piovesan is a prosecutor in São Paulo state. She holds a PhD in Constitutional Law, a postgraduate diploma in Human Rights, and is a Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP).

Translated by Mayra Borges