UN Expert Workshop

Bojana Trivunčić as representative from IAN participated on 2017 UN Expert Workshop that was held in Geneva on 26-27 April 2017. 2017 UN Expert Workshop enabled an exchange of experiences by professionals – medical doctors, psychologists, jurists, social workers, etc. – from the Fund’s grantees that directly support the identification, redress, rehabilitation and empowerment of victims of torture in migration. Participants addressed the trends, main challenges and best practices for restoring the dignity of these victims and enabling them to rebuild their lives. Expertise from other stakeholders contributed to the exchange.

The Expert Workshop took place over two days (26-27 April 2017) during the 45th session of the Board of Trustees (24-28 April 2017). It included small-group discussion segments on identified topics, followed by moderated interactive exchanges between all participants and the Board of Trustees.

Participants of the Workshop were The Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Representatives from civil society organisations who are grantees of the UNVFVT, with expertise in assistance for victims of torture in the context of migration, Representative of a survivor-led activist network, UNVFVT Trustees, Members of relevant United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms, United Nations agencies and other experts, and OHCHR staff members working on related mandates.

Civil society participants were selected by the UNVFVT Secretariat through a review of projects funded in 2017, and through a call for applications to all organisations supported by the UNVFVT.