1. Inter-American Network of Cooperation in Family and Child Law Objectives, Background and Tools

2. Structure 1. Objectives 2. Timing Issues 3. Tools 3. Public Component
4. Private Component
5. Secure Communication

3. Objectives of the Network:
Create a comprehensive network of authorities of all OAS Member States and other interested participants
Facilitate international cooperation in family law
Reduce complexities in cross-border family law transactions
Increase communication between authorities
Coordinate with other organs, agencies and entities of the Inter-American system & multilateral organizations
Protection of rights of women and children in the Americas

4. Method:
Institutional Network of Competent Authorities designated to act in international cooperation on family law and child protection
Regular meetings of the Network
Mandate for secure and efficient cooperation between OAS member states
Tools/features to facilitate cross-border cooperation
Free and ample access to all users of the Inter-American system

5. Duration: Informal Phase Pilot Projects Preliminary Tools
Transition Phase
Designation of Authorities
Technical Meetings
Formal Phase
REMJA
Working Group

6. First Pilot Second Pilot Argentina Colombia El Salvador Spain
Dominican Republic
Canada
Bahamas
United States
Grenada
Brazil
Mexico

7. Informal Phase: Pilot Project 1 Spanish Speaking States
Kickoff Process / Initial Discussion
Pilot Project 2
English Speaking States
Bi-lingual tools
Preliminary tools
Public Component
Private Component
Secure Communication
18 Months

8. Transition Phase: REMJA-VIII Technical Meetings Refine Tools
Designate Authorities
Deliberate/Formalize
18 Months

9. Formal Phase: REMJA-IX Creation of a Working Group
Formal Chair by States
Annual Meetings WG
Bi Annual Meetings of REMJA

10. Network Timeline REMJA IX Working Group 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot
Prelim Tools
Tech Meeting(s)
Conclusions
REMJA VIII

11. Work Methodology Introduction to the system Preliminary network tools
Suggestions for changing/improving/replacing
Recommendations from meeting
Calendar for developing tools

12. Background: Mandates Charter of the OAS Panama Declaration
Summits of the Americas
Ministers of Justice
General Assembly
Inter-Americans conventions.

13. First step
Study of Ratifications of and Adhesions to the Inter-American Conventions on matters of cooperation
Ratification of treaties
Designation of Central Authorities
Precursor of the creation of a Network of Legal Cooperation

14. Central Authorities
Fourteen Conventions of Legal Cooperation that require designation of central authorities
Private law
Rogatory letters
Preventive measures
Evidence
Family law
Public Law
Extradition
Mutual assistance
Corruption
Armaments / Traffic
Judicial decisions
46%
41%

15. Importance Facilitate cooperation and mutual assistance between states
Provides the legal basis for legal practitioners and users of the Inter-American system
Supports the implementation of rules of international law and the solution of controversies
Legitimates the system of Inter-American treaties

16. Goals of the project
DESIGNATE: Designate central authorities for those states and instruments that are not part of the system
UPDATE: Require those states that have designated their central authorities to update them to verify the information .
STANDARDIZE: Create a uniform/standardized system for the designation and actualization of Central Authorities, based on reliable, complete and updated information in a user-friendly, simple format
NETWORK: Create a network of central authorities under the Inter-American conventions

17. Components:
ANALYSIS: Tables analyzing the Inter-American conventions on judicial cooperation
NATIONAL STUDIES: Individual studies per state that analyze the status of designation of central authorities under the conventions to which the state is a party
STANDARD FORM: Presentation and use of the new format of the OAS for the designation of central authorities
INTERNET SITE: Storage and diffusion, by the Department of International Law, of the relevant information of those designations

18. Designation Tables ESTADOS Adopción Restitución Alimentos Pruebas
Trafico
Medidas
Laudos
Argentina
Partede la convencion
Not a Party to the Convention
Bolivia X
Not a Party to Partede la
Brasil
Mexico
Panama
Venezuela

19. National Studies Components:
Determines the number of instruments of international cooperation to which the states is a party
Analyses the conventions under which the states has designated central authorities
Lists the central authorities whose designation is pending
Provides detailed information to comply with the obligation of designated such central authorities
Requires submittal of information to the General Secretariat

20. Standard Form

21. Treaties Page

22. Cooperation Network
Public site +
Tools
Private site +
Secure mail +

23. *** Página en construcción ***
Public site
[Componente Privado]
Acceso por país
*** Página en construcción ***
▪ Introducción
La Red de Cooperación Jurídica Hemisférica en Materia de Derecho de Familia y Niñez (“la Red”) se originó en la “Séptima Reunión de Ministros de Justicia u otros Ministros, Procuradores o Fiscales Generales de las Américas” (REMJA VII). En dicha reunión se encomendó a la Secretaría General (Secretaría de Asuntos Jurídicos) la creación de un proyecto interamericano de cooperación jurídica y asistencia mutua en materia de derecho de familia y niñez.
Con base en las cuatro convenciones interamericanas sobre derecho internacional de familia acordadas por la OEA (Convención Interamericana sobre Obligaciones Alimentarias, Convención Interamericana sobre Restitución
Antigua y Barbuda
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brasil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Cota Rica
Dominica
Organization of American States

24. Private site

25. Secure Communication Storage Area Network Windows 2003 64 bits

26. Cooperation Network

27. Expected results: Creation of a uniform/standardized system
Complete and updated network of authorities
Improvement in communication and cooperation between states and authorities
Enhancement of the implementation of Inter-American Conventions
Improvement in controversy solution

28. Next steps: Process Participation of 34 member states
Potential Second Technical Meeting
Formalization of the Network
REMJA: Creation of a Working Group
REMJA: Presidency per state

29. Next steps: Recommendations
Conclusions and Recommendations of the First Technical Meeting
Changes to the Preliminary Tools
Changes to the Questionnaire
Preliminary recommendations

30. Next steps: Calendar