IACHR welcomes Guyana’s legislative progress on children’s rights

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has congratulated the Government of Guyana for its substantial legislative progress in protecting the rights and well-being of children.
The IACHR issued a statement on Thursday welcoming the enactment of the International Measures for the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2025, passed by Guyana’s National Assembly on June 5, 2025.
The new law incorporates provisions of the 1996 Hague Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children into Guyana’s legal framework.
This law empowers the Minister responsible for children’s services to establish a central authority for receiving and processing requests for international legal cooperation related to child protection, ensuring direct communication with authorities in other countries, and promoting the speedy enforcement of foreign decisions related to custody and visitation, which reduces bureaucratic obstacles and ensures greater protection for children.
According to the commission, this legislation enhances mechanisms for cross-border cooperation in matters such as child custody, visitation rights, intercountry adoption, and other protective measures.
This law helps protect children more effectively, both at home and around the world.
The IACHR noted that the development underscores Guyana’s commitment to aligning its domestic laws with international standards and fostering collaboration with other states to uphold children’s rights.
The commission reaffirmed its support for Guyana’s continued efforts to strengthen child protection systems, describing the legislative move as an important step in guaranteeing that every child enjoys a safe and secure environment.
Eleven other CARICOM member states have also ratified the convention. These include Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay.
The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organisation of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. They also promote observance and defence of human rights in the region and act as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter.
The 1996 Hague Convention is a relevant international instrument that aims to ensure the effective protection of the rights of children in cross-border contexts, such as custody disputes, intercountry adoptions, and the definition of parental responsibilities. It establishes clear criteria for determining the applicable law and the competent judge to decide on protection measures, ensuring legal certainty and uniformity in the application of the rules.
Likewise, it promotes direct international cooperation between designated central authorities, reducing bureaucracy and speeding up judicial and administrative procedures, in line with the principle of the best interests of the child, which demands quick and effective responses to safeguard their rights, the IACHR informed.