Last Thursday, November 5, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights wrapped up the Basic Human Rights Course for non-lawyers in Central America. In the closing session of the course, Court Registrar Pablo Saavedra Alessandri discussed the impact that the case law of the Inter-American Court has had on human rights in the region.

This was the second time the Basic Course had been given, and it took place under the project “Training and awareness-raising on human rights in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.” With support from the Heinrich Böll Foundation, this educational initiative was designed to provide the region’s non-legal community with strategies for teaching and learning about human rights.

Over 4500 people applied to attend, coming from many government and civil-society sectors. The course was held over a distance learning platform with video conference lectures by specialist Lorena González and support from the Court registrar’s office, and it was attended by over 100 non-attorneys in the region.