ParlAmericas has curated lists of Inter-American resources that may be helpful references for parliamentarians in advancing legislative work on topics related to democracy, human rights, security, and development.
Inter-American Model Laws
Model laws can serve as templates for legal drafting and provide harmonized standards on specific issues. They can be used for reviewing bills or amendments to existing national legislation. The Organization of American States (OAS) through its different specialized entities plays an important role in the development of model laws on a wide range of issues pertinent to countries across the Americas and the Caribbean.
Care Work
Model Law on Care
Inter-American Commission for Women (source page)
Corruption
Model Laws on Areas Covered by the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Model Laws
- Model Law on the Declaration of Interests, Income, Assets And Liabilities of Persons Performing Public Functions
- Explanatory Document: Model Law on the Declaration of Interests, Income, Assets And Liabilities of Persons Performing Public Functions (in Spanish)
- Model Law to Facilitate and Encourage the Reporting of Acts of Corruption and to Protect Whistleblowers and Witnesses
- Explanatory Document: Model Law to Facilitate and Encourage the Reporting of Acts of Corruption and to Protect Whistleblowers and Witnesses (in Spanish)
Crime
Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Femicide
Model Law on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of the Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls (Femicide/Feminicide)
Inter-American Commission for Women (source page)
Model Law | Implementation Guide (in Spanish)
Firearms
Model Laws on Areas Covered by the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (source page)
Model Laws
- Model Legislation on the Marking and Tracing Of Firearms
- Draft Model Legislation and Commentaries on Legislative Measures to Establish Criminal Offenses in Relation to the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and other Related Materials
- Model Legislation and Commentaries for Strengthening Controls at Export Points for Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives And other Related Materials
- Model Legislation and Commentaries in Relation to the Controlled Delivery of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
- Model Legislation and Commentaries on Recordkeeping, Confidentiality, and Exchange of Information Regarding the Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
- Model Legislation and Commentaries on Security Measures to Eliminate Loss Or Diversion Of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
Secured Transactions
Model Law on Secured Transactions
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Model Law | Implementation Guide (in Spanish)
Simplified Corporations
Model Law on Simplified Corporations
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Model Act on the Simplified Stock Corporation | Report on Status of Reforms in the Region
Transparency and Access to Information
Model Laws on Access to Public Information and Document Management
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Violence Against Women in Politics
Model Law on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women in Political Life
Inter-American Commission for Women (source page)
OAS Electoral Observation Mission Reports
Election observation is a systematic process of independent information-gathering and analysis using benchmarks drawn from the national laws and regional commitments of the country in which the election is being observed. International election observation is guided by principles of objectivity, political impartiality and non-interference articulated through the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which has been endorsed by more than 50 international organizations since 2005.
The OAS through its Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO) implements electoral observation missions on the formal invitation of host governments. OAS-DECO issues election observation reports with recommendations that can be used by parliamentarians to support and pursue amendments of electoral laws and related oversight of governments.
The following reports have been issued by OAS-DECO on elections observed in 2024.
United States
November 5, 2024 General Elections
OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
Mexico
June 2, 2024 Federal and Local Elections
OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
Dominican Republic
May 19, 2024 Presidential and Congressional Elections
OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
Panama
May 5, 2024 General Elections
OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
El Salvador
February 4, 2024 Presidential and Legislative Elections
OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
First Preliminary Report | Second Preliminary Report (in Spanish)
Other Resources
This section compiles additional tools, guidelines, and informative materials developed to support parliamentary work and awareness on current issues being addressed in the Inter-American system.
Artificial Intelligence
Parliamentary Handbook on Disinformation, AI and Synthetic Media
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the OAS
Climate Change
Parliamentary Resources on Climate Change
ParlAmericas and the OAS Secretariat for Integral Development
Corruption
Legislative Guidelines to Follow-Up on The Implementation of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Resources
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on Conflicts of Interest
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on the Proper Conservation and Use of Resources Entrusted to Public Officials In The Performance of their Functions
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on a System Requiring Public Officials to Report to Appropriate Authorities Acts of Corruption in the Performance of Public Functions of Which They are Aware
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on the Registration of Income, Assets, and Liabilities
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements Regarding Oversight Bodies
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on Civil Society Participation
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements of Mutual Assistance
- Legislative Guideline: Basic Elements Regarding the System of Government Hiring of Public Officials
- Legislative Guidelines: Basic Elements on A System for Protecting Public Servants and Private Citizens Who, in Good Faith, Report Acts of Corruption
Contributions to the Implementation of the Lima Commitment
ParlAmericas
Data Protection and Privacy
Updated Principles on Privacy and Personal Data Protection
OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs (source page)
Electoral Observation
Election Observation Aide Memoire for Parliamentarians
ParlAmericas
Internal Displacement
Guidelines for the Formulation of Public Policies on Internal Displacement
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (source page)
Parliamentary Research
Navigating Online Information: Tips and Tricks for Parliamentary Research
ParlAmericas with the OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy
Violence Against Women
Discriminatory Civil and Family Law in Latin America: An Analysis of Civil and Family Legislation Concerning the Obligation to Prevent, Address, Punish, and Remedy Violence Against Women Based on Gender
Inter-American Commission for Women, UN Women and UN Spotlight Initiative
Resource (in Spanish)
