On Tuesday 22 March, the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI) held its annual briefing to the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) during the 55^th session of the Board of Trustees of the UNVFVT, taking place in Geneva on 21–25 March.

Remarks on behalf of the CTI Core States were delivered by H.E. Ambassador Morten Jespersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations in Geneva and H.E. Ambassador Frank Tressler, Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations in Geneva, who led discussions with the UNVFVT.

Being the first in-person briefing to the UNVFVT since 2019 and after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event offered an opportunity to provide updates on the key activities and events undertaken since CTI’s last online briefing to the Fund in March 2021, as well as to exchange on respective upcoming events, activities and areas of priority focus in 2022 and 2023. CTI provided an update on its progress supporting States to ratify and improve implementation of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), including reaching regional universality in the South American continent after Suriname’s UNCAT accession in November 2021. The positive discussion held with the UNVFVT also identified possible opportunities and thematic areas for joint collaboration in the near future, in order to combine efforts effectively towards torture prevention and response and redress and rehabilitation for torture victims.

CTI looks forward to building on the positive annual exchanges with the UNVFVT and to strengthening collaboration in relevant thematic areas of work. CTI also takes the opportunity to congratulate the UNVFVT on their 40^th anniversary.

For States interested in how CTI can support their efforts towards UNCAT ratification and/or implementation, please contact info@cti2024.org.