International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2021; June 26th

 Marking the 40th Anniversary of the UN Volntary Fund for 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.To witness how rehabilitation services help torture survivors to heal, watch the UN Torture Fund trailer, featuring interviews with beneficiary organizations, survivors and trustees.

FORUM: FOSTERING CIVIC SPACE TO OBTAIN REDRESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE.

In commemoration of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 40th anniversary of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, 26 June 2021


Moderator
Juan E. Mendez, Professor of Human Rights Law in Residence, American University, Washington College of Law and member, Board of Trustees, UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture.

Speakers


UN:
Ilze Brands Kehris, UN Assistant Secretary-General and focal point on reprisals
Claude Heller, Chairperson, UN Committee against Torture
Suzanne Jabbour, Chairperson, UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
Nils Melzer, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
Vivienne Nathanson, Chairperson, UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture

Civil Society:
Lucille Abeykoon, Coordinator, Human Rights Office Kandy (Sri Lanka)
Victor Mhango, Director, Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance (Malawi)
Elçin Türkdoğan, Programmes Coordinator, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (Turkey)
Norberto Liwski, President, Comité para la Defensa de la Salud, la Etica y los Derechos Humanos (Argentina)


With the support of
The Group of Friends of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (Argentina, Austria, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Switzerland and the United States of America)
H.E. Mr. Morten Jespersen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN in Geneva, Co-Chair of the Group of Friends