In a tensed regional context marked by a general relegation of human rights, the persecution of its defenders, and the repression of social protests, DCI’s National Sections in the Americas Region face several challenges in their mission to promote and protect the rights of children through the implementation of comprehensive protection systems, complaints, and investigations that respond to children rights’ violations. DCI-Américas conducts advocacy and lobbying in different spaces such as national coalitions, national preventive mechanisms against torture, but also alert the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on urgent actions for children at risk and engages with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and other UN bodies and mechanisms.  

DCI Sections are recognized referent in the region especially with regard to violence against children and justice for children deprived of liberty and are regularly invited as exponent in national and regional events and capacity building processes. In 2019 DCI-Americas participated in the Congress “Justice in Latin America” in Buenos Aires (Argentina), sharing good practices of the judicial system, and stressing the link between the Child Criminal Justice System and the Comprehensive Protection System, and the needs of working on prevention.   

DCI also put on the agenda the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty and the follow up of its recommendations.