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Equipping torture prevention ambassadors for the Asia Pacific

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Nine innovative projects to counter the risk factors behind torture and ill-treatment will be put into action across the Asia Pacific region.


Nine innovative projects that seek to counter the risk factors behind torture and ill-treatment will be put into action in countries across the Asia Pacific region, as part of a new initiative of the APF and the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT).

The Torture Prevention Ambassadors program is currently calling for applications from senior representatives of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in the region. Applications close on 8 September 2014.

Nine projects will be selected for implementation, based on a review of the applications and interviews with short-listed candidates. It is expected that each applicant will have the formal endorsement of their NHRI.

The nine Torture Prevention Ambassadors selected will take part in an induction meeting, to be held in Sydney in November 2014, and receive ongoing support from mentors, Professor Chris Sidoti and Professor Marco Mona.

It is expected that each project will be developed and implemented between November 2014 and June 2016.

As part of their participation in the program, each Torture Prevention Ambassador will share their work and promote other good practices in the prevention of torture through regular blogs, media interviews and formal presentations.

"One of our main goals is to ensure that the experiences of our Torture Prevention Ambassadors are shared broadly across the region," said Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director of the APF secretariat.

"While their projects will address specific, country-based issues, the important lessons learned will strengthen the ongoing work of other NHRIs in their efforts to prevent torture and ill-treatment."

Case studies of each finalised project will be compiled and published by the APF and APT in the second half of 2016.

The Torture Prevention Ambassadors program is funded by the European Union, as part of the three-year APF project to strengthen the capacity of national human rights institutions in the Asia Pacific to prevent torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

Date: 19 August 2014


Image credits

  1. APF, Michael Power