Washington, D.C., 11 February 2026 — Ambassador Jacinth Henry Martin met today with Commissioner Gloria de Mees of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to discuss the Commission’s ongoing work and to explore avenues for deeper engagement with Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Commissioner de Mees, who serves as IACHR Rapporteur on the Rights of Older Persons and Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, provided an overview of the Commission’s priorities in advancing inclusion, equality, and dignity for vulnerable populations across the hemisphere. She outlined both the thematic scope of her mandates and her country-monitoring responsibilities, highlighting opportunities for technical cooperation and the exchange of best practices among OAS Member States.
The discussions focused on the shared vision for pragmatic, results-driven collaboration, particularly in areas aligned with the national priorities of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Ambassador Henry Martin reaffirmed the Federation’s strong commitment to strengthening protections for older persons and persons with disabilities, underscoring the country’s accession in 2024 to the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons and the Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities. These important steps reflect the Government’s resolve to align domestic legislation, policy frameworks, and institutional practices with Inter-American and universal human rights standards protections.
Ambassador Henry Martin welcomed the interest of Commissioner de Mees in undertaking a potential working visit to Saint Kitts and Nevis. She noted that such a visit would provide a valuable opportunity to engage directly with government officials, national institutions, non-governmental organizations, and civil society partners, while identifying concrete avenues for technical assistance and capacity-building tailored to the Federation’s needs as a small island developing state.
Both officials emphasized in their exchange the importance of sustained dialogue between the IACHR and small states of the Caribbean, particularly in addressing demographic shifts, accessibility and inclusion, social protection systems, and the mainstreaming of disability and aging perspectives into national development strategies.
Discussions also explored the potential role Ambassador Henry Martin could play in leveraging her current chairmanship of the CARICOM Caucus of Ambassadors to facilitate a broader dialogue among the region’s Permanent Representatives. This engagement would aim to promote more timely, coordinated, and responsive information sharing with the IACHR, particularly regarding data essential to the design and delivery of meaningful technical cooperation. Emphasis would be placed on areas identified as priorities, including targeted training initiatives and sectors demonstrating the greatest need for support.
The meeting aimed to build on a shared commitment to deepening cooperation and ensuring that the rights and dignity of older persons and persons with disabilities remain central to national and regional policy agendas. Enhanced engagement between Saint Kitts and Nevis and the IACHR, they agreed, will contribute meaningfully to a more inclusive and rights-based future.