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International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
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UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
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Navigation Blocks
About Us
-
About UN Human Rights
- Mandate
- Mission
-
The High Commissioner
- Volker Türk, High Commissioner
- Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner
- Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General
-
Past High Commissioners
- Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile, 2018-2022
- Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, Jordan, 2014-2018
- Ms. Navanethem Pillay, South Africa, 2008-2014
- Ms. Louise Arbour, Canada, 2004-2008
- Bertrand Ramcharan (Acting High Commissioner)
- Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, Brazil, 2002-2003
- Mrs. Mary Robinson, Ireland, 1997-2002
- Mr. José Ayala-Lasso, Ecuador, 1994-1997
- Past Deputy High Commissioners
- Past Assistant Secretaries-General
- What we do
- Where we work
-
Funding and budget
- Our donors
- Funding trends
-
Trust funds
- Special Fund of the OPCAT
- UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples
- UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation
- UN Voluntary Fund on Contemporary Slavery
-
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
- Mandate
- About the Fund’s assistance for victims
- Board of Trustees
- How the Fund is managed
- Reports
- Activities
- 40th anniversary
- International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- Videos
- Feature stories
- How to apply for an annual grant
- Annual grant cycle
- How to report on a grant
- Emergency grants
- How to contribute to the Fund
- Group of Friends
- Evaluation
- Memorial
On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. 26 June is an opportunity to call on all stakeholders including UN Member States, civil society and individuals everywhere to unite in support of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have been victims of torture and those who are still tortured today.
Read more in the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture Virtual Brochure.
UN Anti-Torture mechanisms joint events
2024 : (Accountability)
2021: (shrinking civic space)
- Webinar – Fostering civic space to obtain redress and accountability for victims of torture
2020: (COVID-19)
Sketch of Public Webinar, 26 June 2020 © credit: Shazeera Zawawi APT – www.apt.ch
Watch the recording of the Webinar below, or on the OHCHR Facebook page:
Joint statements
- 2024: (Accountability) Accountability and justice for torture victims central to commemorations for Convention against Torture
- 2023: (Absolute prohibition of torture in armed conflict) UN experts call for States to uphold absolute prohibition of torture in armed conflict
- 2022: (Healthcare professionals in torture prevention) UN experts: Healthcare professionals are essential for torture prevention, accountability and redress
- 2021: (Shrinking civic space) Protecting civic space critical to ensuring redress and accountability for victims of torture
- 2020: (COVID-19) COVID-19 exacerbates the risk of ill-treatment and torture worldwide – UN experts
- 2019: (Justice and rehabilitation) International Day in Support of Victims of Torture: UN human rights experts call for justice and rehabilitation
- 2018: (More action needed to achieve a torture-free world for all) العربية | English | Français | Español
- 2017: (UN Member State commitment) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2017
- 2016: (LGBTI people in detention) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2016
- 2015: (Trauma of torture victims should not be overlooked amid migration challenges) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2015
- 2014: (Torture-free world) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2014
- 2013: (Governments commitment toward torture victims and their families) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2013
- 2012: (Victims of torture must not face reprisals for seeking redress through the UN) Joint statement on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2012
UN Secretary-General statements
- 2020: António Guterres - Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2019: António Guterres - Secretary-General's message on International Day in support of Victims of Torture
- 2018: António Guterres - Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2016: Ban Ki-moon - Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2015: Ban Ki-moon - Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2014: Ban Ki-moon - Secretary-General's message on the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2013: Ban Ki-moon- Secretary-General's message on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2012: Ban Ki-moon -Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 2011: Ban Ki-moon- Secretary-General's message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights statements
- 2016 - HC Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein
- 2014 - HC Navi Pillay
- 2011 – HC Navi Pillay (Fund’s 30th anniversary)
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (Board of Trustees)
Press releases
- 2017 - Argentina: UN experts and bodies welcome sentences for dictatorship-era crimes against humanity
- 2011 - "30 years of rebuilding lives in danger," warns UN Fund for Victims of Torture
- 2011 - UN human rights chief appeals for worldwide support for victims of torture
Other statements
Convention against Torture Initiative
Group of Friends
Other 26 June events and materials
- 2017 - “Anti-torture day: State of the world today – are we going into reverse?” (OHCHR and International Bar Association)
- Fund Infographic
- Fund Poster
