The 52nd regular session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) was held in Lima, Peru, from October 5th through 7th. Daniel Garcia, Program Assistant for World Youth Alliance (WYA) Latin America and President of the WYA Lima Chapter, shares his experience there as a representative of WYA global.
The OAS, the world’s oldest regional organization, is based on the four pillars of democracy, human rights, security, and development. Some of the objectives of the OAS are to secure peace and security in the American continent, promote economic, social, and cultural development through collaboration, and defend sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence among its member states. Currently, 35 independent states of the Americas are members of the OAS, and the organization also grants 70 states and the European Union permanent observer status.
WYA has a permanent presence at the OAS, allowing WYA members such as Daniel to access the discussions that took place between the heads of delegation and civil society representatives during the sessions.
The theme for the 52nd regular session was “Together against inequality and discrimination.” Dialogue was held on several topics over the three days. “Some country representatives spent time talking about poverty, inequality, and policies that reduce social problems,” Daniel shares, “While others spoke more about controversial issues such as gender issues such as establishing new and undefined rights around gender ideology.”
In its participation in the OAS General Assembly, WYA looks for spaces to have an open dialogue with representatives of the states and other organizations to make WYA and WYA representatives known. “These dialogues,” Daniel says, “open the door to a horizon of possibilities that will help WYA continue in defense of human dignity, family, life, and development of people.”
WYA supports organizations and representatives of states who want to achieve the objectives of the OAS by building a person-centered society and it encourages others to commit to the defense of the dignity of each human person.
