The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) is one of the three regional courts for the protection of human rights, together with the European Court of Human Rights and the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights.

It is an autonomous judicial institution whose objective is to apply and interpret the American Convention. It exercises a contentious function, including the resolution of contentious cases and the mechanism for supervising sentences; an advisory function; and the function of issuing provisional measures.

There are twenty States that have recognized the contentious jurisdiction of the Court, namely: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay.

It is for the Court to determine whether a State has incurred international responsibility for the violation of any of the rights enshrined in the American Convention or in other human rights treaties applicable to the Inter-American System. Also, through this channel, the Court carries out the supervision of compliance with sentences. In cases of extreme gravity and urgency, and when it becomes necessary to avoid irreparable harm to people, it can take provisional measures.

In carrying out its functions, the Court has a great relevance in the construction and monitoring of international standards on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.