Acts of torture in both war and peace time against women is prohibited by international law. Depending on each State’s outlook, the following acts are considered “torture”: rape and sexual abuse, genital mutilation, incest, forced abortion, honour killings, dowry-related violence, forced marriages, human trafficking and forced prostitution.

OMCT’s “Violence against Women” programme aims to provide protection to women who are victims of torture, or threatened by torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, taking into consideration the specific nature of the violence used against them. OMCT also aims to ensure that the respect and promotion of women’s human rights becomes an irreversible reality, at the same rate as men’s rights, and that problems that are specific to women and the violation of their rights be taken into consideration by the relevant bodies of the United Nations (treaty monitoring bodies) and be granted greater attention.

The “Violence against Women” programme intervenes through:

• Urgent appeals: OMCT reports and denounces individual cases of torture against women to relevant authorities so that they may prosecute the public or private actors of these acts of violence and put in place reparation and rehabilitation mechanisms for victims.
• Alternative reports: OMCT publishes Alternative reports and other publications for the United Nations’ committees, particularly for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
• Research: OMCT participates in the studies conducted by the United Nations on violations perpetrated against women.
• Lobbying: OMCT works within international bodies so that gender issues be integrated into the various UN and regional mechanisms for the protection of individuals.
• Training: OMCT hosts workshops with NGOs and State representatives on the issues related to violence against women. 

• Urgent Appeals
• Press Releases
• Reports
• Publications
• Events
• Documents
• Links
• International Conventions

OMCT's international secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretariat coordinates the SOS-Torture Network made up of 297 national, regional and international organisations spanning five continents.
Contact : omct@omct.org