Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, Ms. Tracy Robinson, was elected a member of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) at the 41st Regular Session of the Organisation of American States (OAS) General Assembly, held from June 5-7 in San Salvador. Ms. Robinson received the highest number of votes among the candidates and will serve a four year term commencing January 1, 2012.
 
Ms. Robinson graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1991 with a First Class Honours Degree in Law. In 1992 she was the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship, where she studied Law at Oxford University. She also holds a Masters of Law Degree from Yale University.
 
Ms. Robinson lectures in Gender, Family Law and Constitutional Law and has published widely and given presentations on Gender, Family Law and Human Rights issues. She has served as a consultant to numerous bodies including the United Nations Development Fund for Women.
 
Ms. Robinson is only the second Jamaican elected to serve on the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). The first was her father, Patrick Robinson, who is currently the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, based in the Hague. He served as a member of the IACHR from 1988 - 1995 and as its Chairman in 1991.
 
The IACHR is an autonomous organ of the OAS, whose primary function is promoting the observance and defense of human rights. The Commission has its headquarters in Washington, DC and represents all of the member States of the OAS. It has seven members who act independently, without representing any particular country. The members of the IACHR are elected by the General Assembly of the OAS.