Director General Ali Welcomes a Courtesy Call from Ms. Marion Bethel

Nassau, 27 March 2025. Nassau, NP, The Bahamas — Ms. Marion Bethel, esteemed human rights advocate and candidate for the role of Commissioner at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), met with Her Excellency Jerusa Ali, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry’s headquarters.

Director General Ali (right) with Ms. Bethel

The visit highlights Ms. Bethel’s preparations as she vies for election at the forthcoming Organisation of American States General Assembly in Antigua and Barbuda, scheduled for June 2025. Her candidacy reflects a commitment to championing human rights across the American hemisphere for the term 2026-2029.

Founded in 1959, the IACHR is a pivotal and autonomous body of the OAS, based in Washington DC. The Commission, along with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights established in 1979, forms the cornerstone of the inter-American system for the protection of human rights. The IACHR operates on three foundational pillars: the individual petition system, monitoring of human rights conditions in member states, and focusing on thematic areas of priority.

The Commission, comprised of seven independent members renowned for their moral integrity and expertise in human rights, elects its members through the OAS General Assembly. These members are nominated by member states and serve a renewable four-year term.

Director General Ali and Ms. Bethel with staff from the Department of Foreign Service

Ms. Bethel’s candidacy is strengthened by her distinguished career in human rights law since 1986 and her notable contributions as a twice-elected member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Her profound experience and international acclaim ideally position her to contribute effectively to the IACHR’s mission of advancing and implementing human rights initiatives throughout the hemisphere.