Aims and Objectives

The HRIC worked in partnership with the 'Convention against Torture Initiative' (CTI) to develop a series of practical tools to provide support to State implementation of the 'UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment' (UNCAT).

The CTI is a State led initiative that was launched in March 2014 by the Governments of Chile, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco, to mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCAT. The CTI is a ten year global initiative for the universal ratification and implementation of the Convention. The core principle of the CTI is that of States helping States. It operates on the basis that no State has a perfect record when it comes to the implementation of the UNCAT. Accordingly, the CTI offers assistance and guidance to States to ratify and implement the Convention.

To support this endeavour, the HRIC teamed up with the CTI to assist the preparation of a series of 'UNCAT Implementation Tools' and training materials, explaining the obligations contained in the UNCAT. These practical tools share good State practices from around the world on different implementation themes and are intended to offer support, guidance and ideas for State practitioners and policy makers, as they develop or revise context specific strategies, mechanisms and procedures, for the effective implementation of the UNCAT.

Outputs

The HRIC assisted in the development of the following CTI tools: 

• Developing national anti-torture strategies and action plans
• Safeguards in the first hours of police custody
• Complaints and investigations
• Non-coercive investigative interviewing 
• Cooperation on extradition
• Reporting and follow-up to the UN Committee against Torture