IIN-OAS: 99 Years of experience in promoting rights
IIN-OAS: 99 Years of experience in promoting rights
The Inter-American Children’s Institute (IIN) of the Organization of American States (OAS) marks 99 years of history. Since its founding, the organization has served as a key technical reference in the region, supporting Member States in the design and implementation of public policies grounded in the promotion, protection, and respect of the rights of children and adolescents.
Under the slogan “Road to 100 years,” the IIN is carrying out a series of commemorative initiatives that will continue through its centennial in 2027. This theme not only celebrates the past, but also reinforces the organization’s commitment to addressing contemporary challenges such as digital inclusion, climate change, violence prevention, and civic participation.
A double commemoration
The Institute’s anniversary coincides with a key milestone: Children and Adolescents of the Americas Day, celebrated each year on June 9.
This date was formally established by the OAS in 2017 (within the framework of the IIN’s 90th anniversary) with the purpose of creating an annual occasion for in-depth reflection and action on the living conditions of children across the region. Beyond its institutional significance, this date represents recognition of children and adolescents as rights holders and an opportunity to strengthen States’ commitment to public policies aimed at ensuring their holistic development.
Celebration agenda: How will it be commemorated this year?
To celebrate this double milestone, IIN-OAS will carry out an agenda that combines official events, dialogue spaces, and launches led by children and adolescents themselves:
Commemorative session at the OAS Permanent Council
In this context, and in anticipation of the central commemorative date, on June 3 the OAS Permanent Council will hold a special session in Washington to mark this occasion and renew the region’s commitment to the rights of children and adolescents.
The meeting will serve as a high-level forum for exchange and reflection on the impact of public policies on the lives of children and adolescents, while highlighting the role of the IIN as a technical cooperation and regional coordination body.
As part of this event, adolescents who are members of the participation networks promoted by the IIN will deliver interventions in spaces allocated by State representatives, bringing their priorities and proposals into the inter-American dialogue.
For this edition, the adolescents proposed incorporating into the regional political agenda a discussion on artificial intelligence and its implications for the rights of children and adolescents, promoting concrete commitments from States toward AI governance with a child rights approach.
The presentation will be structured around two main themes:
Protection of children and adolescents in AI-powered digital environments.
Participation and digital literacy of children and adolescents.
In this way, the commemoration reaffirms one of the Institute’s core principles: recognizing children and adolescents not only as recipients of public policies, but also as actors with their own voices in shaping the agendas that affect their present and future.
Official ceremony in Uruguay
On June 9, the Executive Tower in Uruguay will host the central event. The ceremony will feature special moderation led by adolescents from the Advisory and Consultative Council (CAC) of National Institute for Children and Adolescents of Uruguay (INAU).
The event will bring together senior authorities from the OAS, representatives of the Uruguayan government, members of the diplomatic corps of the Inter-American System, civil society organizations, and child and adolescent participation networks.
Launch of IINfancia Bulletin No. 21
Building on the editorial tradition initiated by the Institute in 1927, Issue No. 21 of this biannual publication is being launched. Its central theme is child and adolescent participation. Through articles written by authors from different countries, the publication explores the multiple dimensions that shape this topic, with the aim of raising awareness about the need to prioritize its inclusion in public policy agendas for children and adolescents.
Premiere of the podcast “Childhoods on air”
Placing participation at the center of this commemoration, children and adolescents from Central America, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic—members of RedNNACEM—present the second episode of the podcast “Childhoods on air,” an initiative created to amplify their voices and foster spaces for dialogue based on their own experiences and perspectives.
In this new episode, participants reflect on the right to participation, exploring what it means in everyday life, the challenges that still limit its effective exercise, and the opportunities to strengthen meaningful participation in family, educational, community, and institutional settings.
Background: Nearly a century of history
The origins of the Institute date back to the early decades of the 20th century. Driven by Uruguayan pediatrician Luis Morquio together with a distinguished group of professionals from across the region, the first Pan American Child Congresses emerged with the aim of improving the living conditions of children throughout the continent.
As a result of this movement, on June 9, 1927, representatives from 10 countries across the Americas founded the International American Institute for the Protection of Childhood (today’s IIN-OAS). Decades later, in 1949, the Institute was formally integrated into the OAS as its specialized body on children’s human rights, consolidating a legacy that, now just one step away from its centennial, continues to be celebrated today.
