XV Edition GIZ Law Journal

ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN STATES

ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN STATES

brings together academics and lawyers of the Latin-American region ThemisMethodology

By: Marcia Campos

When we wrote this article in 2019, our intention was to highlight the group of professors with whom the DIRAJus Program worked, who not only were trained in the THEMIS Methodology, but also took it to their countries and began a process of implementation with their students. Since then, the project has been able to develop a large series of projects because of this group that, as seedbeds, have been distributing the methodology. For example, between 2021 and 2022, we have been able to carry out two editions of “THEMoot”: a moot court that invites students from recognized universities in Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, and Costa Rica to participate in the analysis of a case that is solved with the application of conventionality control and that must be analyzed under the lens of the THEMIS Methodology. In addition, virtual courses in the THEMIS Methodology, adapted to different levels of knowledge, have been uploaded into the learning platform of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights . More than 1,000 people have been trained in this methodology. That means that we are one step closer to achieving our goals as can be read in the publication “A siete años de la metodología Themis”. It has been a great journey of knowledge, and we are looking forward to continuing working for a real access to justice for all citizens in the region.

Together with the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIHR) the DIRAJus project trained 10 professors in law of Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Peru in the Themis Methodology. The training program was designed as one of Train of Trainers in order to hand down the necessary tools to replicate and disseminate the Themis Methodology in their respective countries. This methodology is meant to facilitate legal analysis and legal solutions, allowing a more efficient application of the law and a better argumentation. Building on the first training course, the participants had put into practice the criteria and strategies for case formulation, generating an exchange of experiences and opinions on the training processes that each one has experienced before in their countries. The exercise allowed not only to put in place the great knowledge that the participants had, but also their ingenuity. The dynamic encouraged different scenarios in different areas: Human Rights, Criminal Law, Civil Law, Environmental Law and

International Law. All the cases presented came up with controversial issues, which allowed for a full scale application of the Themis Methodology. The training will help to replicate the Themis Methodology in different branches of law in their countries. As part of the activities, participants had the opportunity to a guided visit to the Inter-American Court. Participants were welcomed by the president of the Court. In addition, they discussed topics on Access to Justice, Control of Conventionality, Themis Methodology and the use of the DIGESTO with Mr. Pablo Saavedra, Executive Secretary of the Inter American Court, who highlighted the importance of the Themis Methodology within these contexts. The closing ceremony of the training course was attended by Mr. José Thompson, Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, Dr.iur Helen Ahrens, Director of the project DIRAJus and Dr. Inti Schubert, Senior Advisor of the project DIRAJus.

Marcia Campos

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