HRREC participates in thematic hearing on academic freedom at the IACHR

By University of Ottawa

Human Rights Research and Education Centre, HRREC

HRREC
Human rights
Academic freedom
An empty hearing room with wooden paneling and green  chairs.
On November 12, 2024, HRREC and its partners in the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) presented at a thematic hearing on academic freedom and university autonomy at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR, 191° period of sessions).

The purpose of this hearing was to present a regional analysis of attacks on academic freedom and university autonomy in the Americas that could contribute to the monitoring work of the Commission. Special emphasis was given to attacks on the administrative, financial, pedagogical and physical autonomy of universities, as well as the persecution of members of the academic and student community in the region.

Representatives from HRREC, Scholars At Risk, Aula Abierta, Iniciativa Puentes por los Estudiantes de Nicaragua (IPEN), Observatório Nacional da Violência contra Educadoras/es and Red Académicxs en Riesgo spoke about specific situations in countries where attacks on academic freedom and university autonomy are contributing to a series of violations of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our organizations requested the IACHR to prioritize the implementation of the Inter-American Principles on Academic Freedom and University Autonomy and to draft a thematic report on the matter.