1. 1948- Twenty-one nations from the Americas meet and
sign the Charter of the Organization of American States
(thus creating the OAS) and the American Declaration of
the Rights and Duties of Man, an international human
rights document that predates the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
1959- The OAS creates The Inter-American Commission
on Human Rights (IACHR), an independent wing of the
organization, which is tasked with investigating human
rights abuses in the Americas.
1969- The American Convention on Human Rights is
adopted by member states with the express purpose of
unifying the Americas under a specified framework related
to human rights. This framework includes fundamental
determinations about the protection of individual and
social liberties.
1979- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is
created to monitor compliance with the American
Convention on Human Rights, which went into effect in
1978. The court functions not only as an adjudicatory
body that hears and rules on cases of human rights
violation, but also as an advisory body to member states.
2009- The OAS condemns the Honduran coup during
which members of the military and supporters of Roberto
Micheletti ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The OAS
responds by suspending Honduras' membership after
Zelaya is not reinstated.