Ecuador asks financial reforms to IACHR without providing much to it

Maria Isabel Salvador

The Ecuadorian government has not been a regular donor of the Inter-American System of Human Rights (ISHR). However, now is the main promoter of the entity’s financial reforms, which shelters the Inter-American Commission (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court (Corte IDH).

It should be noted that in 2011 it was registered the only contribution of Ecuador in the last three years. The donation was of $ 1,500, an amount well below the annual budget of $ 10 million that, for example, handles the IACHR. Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua,  also have joined Ecuador with their criticism and have made any contribution between 2010 and 2012.

One of the reforms proposed by Ecuador to the OAS General Assembly, which will meet on Friday, argues that such funding should be made with direct input from the countries that have recognized the competence of the IACHR.

Among these critics is the financing of the United States, which is the main supporter of the IACHR with an average amount of $ 1.3 million annually. Other major donors are Argentina, Colombia, Canada, Chile and Costa Rica.

According to Maria Isabel Salvador, representative of Ecuador to the OAS, the limited funding that some countries give is due to the limited budgets they have. However, she added that in the upcoming days it could be announced a major donation from Ecuador. For this to happen they asked the OAS to issue a report on the operation and funding costs of all the ISHR, in order to define the real needs of the operation.