Title: Precautionary Measures
Course: Inter-American Human Rights System - 2nd. Edition > Section: Preventive mechanisms

To begin, we invite you to watch this video to learn about the mechanism of precautionary measures.

A precautionary measure is a protection mechanism of the IACHR, through which a State is requested to protect an individual or group at risk of suffering irreparable harm, when the situation is serious and urgent.

The classic example of these measures is when a person receives serious threats to his or her life or integrity. However, this is not the only situation in which these measures are used. They also serve to protect communities when they are displaced from their territory, which has the effect of endangering their survival. Precautionary measures are intended to protect people's health, freedom of expression, political rights, identity or family life, among other rights. They have also been used to prevent the implementation of the death penalty while a case is pending before the Commission.

 Read about the history and legal framework of the mechanism 👉here.

Listen to this audio to learn more about what rights can be protected by this mechanism.