Academic freedom and university autonomy are under growing threat in Latin America. Educators — from both basic and higher education — have been subjected to persecution, harassment, and violence due to their pedagogical and scientific work, as well as their defense of human rights and democracy.
In this context, the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) launched, on October 1, 2025, the document “Guidelines for Policies and Actions to Support Educators at Risk in Latin America,” prepared by researchers Amanda Mendonça and Pamella Passos.
The launch took place at the headquarters of the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE) in Brasília (Brazil). Its purpose was to disseminate the Guidelines, fostered regional dialogue on experiences and challenges in supporting educators, and mobilized concrete commitments from academic institutions, regional networks, and international organizations.
Watch the recording of the Launch of the Guidelines for Policies and Actions to Support Educators at Risk in Latin America
Find out more about the event:
- News: Guidelines reinforce regional commitment to welcoming educators at risk
- Letter of Commitment – Spanish version
- Guidelines for Policies and Actions to Support Educators at Risk in Latin America – full document
- Guidelines for Policies and Actions to Support Educators at Risk in Latin America – full document – Spanish version
- Guidelines for Policies and Actions to Support Educators at Risk in Latin America – full document – Portuguese version
- Letter of Commitment – Portuguese version
Program
If you want to access the document in PDF, click here. Please note that times in the program are set to Monterrey (Mexico).
About CAFA
The Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) is a non-governmental and not-for-profit network, created in 2021, headquartered at the University of Monterrey (UDEM), Mexico. It was founded by Scholars at Risk, UDEM, and the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) at the University of Ottawa.
Its membership spans across the hemisphere, having established institutional relations with key partners from national and international settings. CAFA seeks the promotion, protection, and respect for academic freedom and university autonomy, with the goal of developing relevant human rights standards that serve to protect educational spaces, leverage human rights and strengthen democratic principles in the Americas.