The Human Rights Implementation Centre, together with its partners Penal Reform International and the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture have secured  funding of nearly 1.2 million Euros from the European Commission for a three year collaborative project.  The aim of the project is to strengthen, support and assist with developing torture prevention mechanisms in 9 countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The project will focus on a whole variety of preventive mechanisms, such as National Preventive Mechanisms established in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture; national human rights institutions; statutory oversight bodies; and also civil society initiatives. In addition to strengthening the capacity of these assorted bodies through various training workshops and conferences, a set of country specific assessment tools will be developed aimed at the evaluation of the torture prevention approaches adopted by these bodies, as well as targeted recommendations to the national Governments and bodies in question.  The project will also focus on advocating for holistic and comprehensive programmes of rehabilitation for torture survivors based on existing models of international good practice.

For further information please contact Dr Elina Steinerte or Ms Debra Long