2. Inter-American Commission of Women

17th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Origin and Development: The Inter-American Commission of Women was established at the Sixth International Conference of American States, held in Havana in 1928. It was the first, and even today the only, official inter-American body specifically created to secure the civil and political rights of women.

In 1953 the Inter-American Commission of Women, through an Agreement with the Organization of American States, became a permanent specialized organization of the OAS. As such, the Commission is considered to have specific functions with respect to technical matters of common interest to the American states. It possesses a certain autonomy in its policies and work programs, within limitations of its own Organic Statute and the Charter of the American States. Purpose of the Organization: According to its Organic Statute revised in 1968, the chief functions of the IACW are: to work for the extension of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights to the women of America; to study their problems, propose measures for solving them, and encourage the participation of women in community life; to promote civic integration and participation of women through leadership courses, seminars, and other activities; and to serve as an advisory body to the Organization of American States and its organs in matters relating to the aims of the Commission.

The Commission also is required to make periodic reports on its activities to the General Assembly of the Organization of American States and to inform the governments on progress achieved by women in the member states. Among its continuing duties is to ensure that the governments carry out those measures for the advancement of women approved by inter-American or international conferences or by the Commission's own assemblies.

Initial Date of U.S. Participation: 1928.

Current Authority for U.S. Participation:

United States participation in the Inter-American Commission of Women is pursuant to the authority vested in the Executive to conduct the foreign relations of the United States.

Governing Body: The 23 American states belonging to the OAS also are eligible for membership in the IACW. The government of each country appoints a principal delegate and may name alternate delegates and advisers to assist her.

The Assembly is the highest authority of the Commission. Every two years the delegates meet to formulate the policies and work programs of the IACW. Fifteen regular and five special assemblies have been held. The Fifteenth Assembly was held in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1970. The Sixteenth Assembly, to be hosted by the U.S. Government, is scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C., in September 1972.

Officers of the Commission are the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, and the Executive Committee. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected by the Assembly for a term of two years from among the principal delegates. Six countries are elected at the same time to make up an Executive Committee. Those six governments each designate a representative to serve on the Committee, over which the Chairman presides. Candidates are proposed on a rotational basis from among the member nations.

National Committees of Cooperation are extensions of the IACW, working at the national level. They are presided over by the delegates to the Commission, who appoint members of the committees from among women of different fields of interest. The National Committees of Cooperation work with the delegate in advancing the aims and work programs of the IACW within the countries.

The Permanent Secretariat is the technical and administrative arm of the IACW. Its staff, headed by the Executive Secretary, is appointed by the Secretary General of the OAS with the approval of the Executive Committee of the IACW and is part of the General Secretariat of the OAS.

Membership (1972), the following OAS member governments have, currently or in the past, designated delegates to IACW:

Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Permanent Mission of the United States to the Organization of American States.

83-8770 0-72-5

3. Inter-American Indian Institute

Niños Heroes 139, Mexico 7, D.F.

Origin and development: Resolutions designed to effect a solution of inter-American Indian problems of continental significance were adopted at the VII and VIII International Conference of American States held in 1933 and 1938, respectively. The latter Conference recommended that the American governments send representatives to the First Inter-American Conference on Indian Life to study the desirability of creating an Inter-American Indian Institute. The first Inter-American Conference on Indian Life met at Patzcuaro, Mexico, in April 1940, and drafted a plan subsequently incorporated into a convention, the terms of which created the Inter-American Institute. The convention was open for signature in Mexico City, on November 1, 1940, and came into effect on December 31, 1941.

The Inter-American Indian Institute was registered as an InterAmerican Specialized Organization by the Council of the Organization of American States on March 17, 1953.

Initial date of U.S. participation: 1941.

Current authority for U.S. participation: Convention providing for the creation of the Inter-American Indian Institute, November 29, 1940, 56 Stat. 1303. TS 978.

Purpose of organization: The Institute develops information of use to the member governments in planning for the economic, social, and cultural betterment of Indians; initiates, directs, and coordinates scientific investigations, the results of which may be applied to the solution of Indian problems; and acts in a consultative and advisory capacity for national bureaus of Indian affairs. Moreover, it acts as secretariat for the Inter-American Indian Conferences and cooperates in the implementation of resolutions adopted by these conferences. The Institute collects, edits, and distributes information and reports of investigations on all phases of Indian life in the Americas; supplies information on legislation for, and the administration of, Indian groups in the American Republics and on the activities of institutions concerned with Indian groups.

Governing body: The Governing Board exercises control over the Institute. It is composed of one representative from each member government, and ordinarily meets every 2 years. The Board elects the Executive Committee, which is vested with the executive powers of the Institute under the general policy guidance and control of the Governing Board. The Executive Committee is composed of five members elected for a period of 5 years in such a manner that two are elected at one occasion and three at another.

4. Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences

San José, Costa Rica

Origin and development: In 1930, the First Inter-American Conference on Agriculture resolved that an international agricultural organization should be established in the Americas. In 1940, a similar resolution was adopted by the Eighth American Scientific Congress. Subsequently, the Pan American Union appointed an Inter-American Commission on Tropical Agriculture to make recommendations for the establishment of an Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences.

Following recommendations of the Commission, the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia, on July 18, 1942, with the principal field office established at Turrialba, Costa Rica, on land donated by the Government of Costa Rica.

A convention to provide permanent status to the Institute was negotiated and came into force on November 30, 1944. A Protocol of Amendment to the Convention on the Institute was opened for signature by the member states on December 1, 1958, and is to enter into force when ratified by all the states parties to the convention. The protocol provides that the Institute's Boards of Directors shall preferably be composed of Ministry of Agriculture officials of the participating states, and it changes the quota system for the support of the Institute.

Following the establishment of the Organization of American States, the Institute was recognized as an Inter-American Specialized Organization on February 16, 1949.

Initial date of U.S. participation: 1944.

Current authority for U.S. participation: Convention on the InterAmerican Institute of Agricultural Sciences, January 15, 1944, 58 Stat. 1169, TS 987.

Purpose of organization: The purposes of the Institute as stated in Article II of the convention are "to encourage and advance the development of agricultural sciences in the American Republics through research, teaching, and extension activities in the theory and practice of agriculture and related arts and sciences.

The Institute carries on its program through (1) demonstration farms, on which students receive practical training and on which modern methods and equipment are tested and adapted; (2) basic research and research on specified projects carried on by resident and visiting scientists; (3) teaching for graduate students and technicians who are to return to their own countries to occupy scientific or administrative positions; and (4) occasional inter-American technical meetings.

Governing body: The Board of Directors of the Institute consists of the representatives of the American Republics serving on the Council of the Organization of American States. In the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, in which the Ministers of Agriculture from member countries participate, budgetary and policy matters are decided upon. Membership (1972):