NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – Fabio de Sá e Silva, an associate professor of international studies and Wick Cary Professor of Brazilian Studies at the University of Oklahoma, has been nominated by the Brazilian government to run for a seat on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for the 2026–2029 term.
In an interview, Sá e Silva emphasized the IACHR’s broader role as a guardian of human dignity across the Americas, highlighting not only its well-known mechanism for individual petitions and state accountability, but also its regional mandates for monitoring, best-practice promotion and building a shared human rights consciousness.
“The Commission’s work goes far beyond the emblematic cases that make headlines,” he said. “It must also address the structural and historical roots of violations through monitoring and multi-stakeholder engagement. The full use of its mandate is what makes it a transformative institution in our region.”
Seven candidates are competing in the upcoming election, nominated by Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, the United States, Peru, and the Bahamas. If elected, Sa e Silva notes, he would serve not as a representative of Brazil, but as an independent commissioner, in accordance with IACHR rules that prevent nationals from handling cases involving their own countries.
The election, which will fill three of the Commission’s seven seats, is scheduled for June 25–27 during the General Assembly of the Organization of American States in Antigua and Barbuda. The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will promote Sá e Silva’s candidacy in diplomatic meetings across the Americas in the lead-up to the vote.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Several graduate programs at the University of Oklahoma are ranked among the best in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings. These include programs in the OU College of Pharmacy, the OU College of Allied Health and the Michael F. Price College of Business.
Yanhua Xie is helping address global fresh water challenges by creating groundbreaking models and datasets of agricultural irrigation, as part of an international team simulating Earth’s water system.
Tiny white coats, stuffed animal patients and big imaginations filled OU School of Community Medicine at OU–Tulsa recently as elementary aged children from across the Tulsa area stepped into the world of medicine during Doctor for a Day, a highly visual, hands on experience designed to spark curiosity about health care careers—and make the doctor’s office feel a little less intimidating.
