The American peoples have acknowledged the dignity of the individual, and their national constitutions recognize that juridical and political institutions, which regulate life in human society, have as their principal aim the protection of the essential rights of man and the creation of circumstances that will permit him to achieve spiritual and material progress and attain happiness. All men are born free and equal, in dignity and in rights, and, being endowed by nature with reason and conscience, they should conduct themselves as brothers one to another. Inasmuch as spiritual development is the supreme end of human existence and the highest expression thereof, it is the duty of man to serve that end with all his strength and resources.
And, since moral conduct constitutes the noblest flowering of culture, it is the duty of every man always to hold it in high respect.
The Organization of American States is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890. The Organization was established in order to achieve among its member states—as stipulated in Article 1 of the Charter—"an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity,
The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (“OAS”) whose mission is to promote and protect human rights in the American hemisphere. It is composed of seven independent members who serve in a personal capacity. Created by the OAS in 1959, the Commission has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Wrongful convictions in the criminal justice system are not only a Canada problem, but an issue present around the world. The problem of wrongful conviction has become an accepted reality in most common law jurisdictions. High profile cases tend not only to draw our attention to the detrimental effects of a wrongful conviction, but also to point out how aspects of the criminal justice process have failed
While all prisoners must learn to cope with the pains of imprisonment, the impact of imprisonment on the wrongly convicted appears to have effects that go beyond those experienced by other long-term prisoners, exacerbated by the unjust nature of their wrongful incarceration, mental deterioration; the indeterminate nature of sentences; including violence, cooperation, withdrawal, and the prison environment itself
Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality, or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability
The International Labour Organization unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on 10 June 2008. The Declaration comes at a crucial political moment, reflecting the wide consensus on the need for a strong social dimension to globalization in achieving improved and fair outcomes for all. FAAVM has a key role to play to promote and achieve progress and social justice
Pamela Winderweedle Hillman is the founder and president of LifeChangers Legacy, Chebar Ministries. Our organization is designed to empower women and men returning home from incarceration and their families. We provide them with the tools necessary to equip and achieve financial independence, personal growth, family restoration, leadership, and a spiritual foundation. All through a Holy Spirit inspired curriculum of continuous education. The goal is to help the whole person live a Christ-centered life that builds confidence and dependence in God.
Our four-phase program was designed by Pamela Hillman who was sentenced to prison, has beaten the odds and succeed in recovery & became an outstanding member of society. 63% of citizens return to prison within 3 years. They have difficulty finding jobs, places to live, and most are still suffering from traumas causing a cycle of pain and suffering not only to the offenders but to their families as well. For instance, if a child has had a parent incarcerated the child is 33% more likely to commit a crime. As a result of her past and knowing the facts she has made it her life mission to use her experiences to tackle each know factor of recidivism.
Pamela has learned the history of the Stages of Change (Trans-theoretical Model). She has obtained an awareness of how to use Enhanced Supervision Program (ESP) techniques to reinforce the change process. Pamela is continually enhancing her counseling and Biblical knowledge to make LifeChangers Legacy Programs the very best possible through continuing education to be able to help the mentees/students within the gates and their families, and anyone she comes in contact with.
FAAVM is an advocate for human rights for everyone. Complaints may be brought by individuals and/or third parties on behalf of individuals, provided they have given their written consent, without requirement as to its specific form. In certain cases, a third party may bring a case without such consent, for example, where a person is in prison without access to the outside world or is a victim of an enforced disappearance
The ability of individuals to complain about the violation of their rights in an international arena brings real meaning to the rights contained in the human rights treaties. If you believe that you have been the victim of a Civil or Human Rights wrongful action, or wrongful conviction, and want to file a complaint with the FAAVM to have the organization investigate your complaint, you MUST submit a formal Complaint Form
Once a complaint is received, FAAVM determines if it has the legal authority to review and investigate the complaint. At the end of the investigation, FAAVM issues a letter presenting its decision on whether your rights have been violated. If FAAVM determines your rights have been violated, the organization, entity, or local or federal government agency that violated your rights is granted a specific time period to correct the violation or provide FAAVM with a plan of correction
FAAVM enforces nondiscrimination regulations that apply to programs, employment, government services, and socioeconomic and cultural activities under The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and other international human rights laws and treaties bodies (CCPR, CERD, CAT, CEDAW, CRPD, CED, CMW, CESCR and CRC) . The protection of minorities is one of the oldest concerns of international law. The root of the minority problem lies in discrimination, oppression, and exclusion