‘OMCT launches global initiative to mobilize civil society on implementing universal anti-torture standards’

‘OMCT launches global initiative to mobilize civilsociety on implementing universal anti-torture standards’

Geneva, 30 April 2014

The World Organisation Against Torture, the principal global civilsociety coalition against torture, launches a new initiative to mobilize on theimplementation of the main UN anti-torture body (UNCAT).

TheConvention Against Torture remains the principal legal authority in the fightagainst torture. While outlawed in law torture and ill-treatment remain howevercommon experiences around the world. The UN Committee Against Torture is theprincipal anti-torture body charged with examining the compliance of state withtheir obligations. The Committee has proven to be an important element in theglobal fight against torture. Its authoritative recommendations can make a realdifference. However, in OMCTs daily work we see that the Committee continues toface multiple challenges, such as late or non-reporting by states, a chroniclack of implementation on the part of state parties to the Convention, and thereluctance by states to disseminate and debate the results with openly with societyat home.

‘In the coming years we will undertake aconcerted effort with our global network to mobilize local actors on theimplementation of the Committees recommendations’, said Yves Berthelot,OMCT President, on the occasion of a reception in honour of the 52session ofCommittee Against Torture. ‘Ultimately wewill only succeed if we manage to generate local civil society support and buildreal constituencies for change’, he added.

OMCTwill support civil society access to the Committee’s proceedings including fromdifficult countries, provide support, policy advise and mentoring to defendersfrom the field. In addition we will implement new and innovative ways to ensurethat the reporting process is discussed in the countries concerned, and acoherent and systematic follow-up to the Committee’s recommendation.

‘We all have a responsibility to ensure thatthe legal obligations of the UN Convention of Torture do not only exist in law,but trigger real change for people around the world threatened with violenceand torture’, noted Yves Berthelot.

OMCTwill conduct in depth and sustained advocacy on the implementation of theConvention in six focus countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ivory Coast,Togo, Mexico and Colombia. The initiative is implemented jointly with itsmembers of the SOS torture network in the six partner countries. It includesauthoritative research on torture, national consultations on legal reforms,effective victims support and remedies and public outreach to generate supportfor anti-torture reforms.

The OMCT wishes to express appreciation for thosesupporting the program, notably through the financial support from the EuropeanUnion.

For further information,please contact:

OMCT - Marina Gente,+41(0) 22 809 49 27, mg@omct.org