Participants from 18 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) across the Asia Pacific have commenced a new online course on torture prevention, developed by the APF in partnership with the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT).

Held in the APF Community, the APF’s online learning and collaboration space, the four-week course aims to support NHRIs in their torture-prevention work and will be facilitated by APT experts.

The course will familiarise participants with the core concepts of torture prevention under international human rights law and its application in practice, and will also cover:

• The role of NHRIs in torture prevention
• The mandates of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs)
• The legal and institutional arrangements necessary for torture prevention
• Torture prevention oversight mechanisms
• Techniques of monitoring places of detention and investigating cases of torture
• A range of cross-cutting issues related to torture prevention.

While torture is entirely prohibited under international law, its practice continues across the world. Combatting torture therefore requires the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders, including NHRIs. As national institutions with a mandate to protect and promote human rights, NHRIs are uniquely placed to take concrete steps to prevent torture in their countries.

In 2010, as part of APF’s capacity development support to our member NHRIs, the APF with support from the APT published a guide for NHRIs: “Preventing Torture: An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions”, which was further updated in 2022 to include the gender dimensions and to include the latest developments in the international norms related to torture prevention.

The course is based on the Guide's content, which has been adapted for a micro-learning format. The content is delivered through the EdApp platform within the APF Community. Participants will engage in weekly live sessions and have the chance to interact with each other, sharing best practices within the APF Community.

The course will run until 9 October.

Date: 22 September 2023

Image credit: Monitoring with migrant workers - Nepal - NHRC Nepal