I.  Mandate
   II.  Admissibility
  III.  Decision-making
  IV.  The grants cycle
   V.  Programmes approved for 2003/2004
  VI.  Reporting on the activities of the Fund
 VII.  Fundraising
VIII.  26 June:  UN International Day in support of victims of torture
  IX.  CONTACTS
   X.  Contributions to the Fund

  XI.  How to apply to the Fund

         - Guidelines

         - Application form 2004

  XII. How to report to the Fund

          - Framework for Narrative and Financial reports on the use of the grant

          - Project summary form 

I. MANDATE

1. The Fund was established by General Assembly resolution 36/151 of 16 December 1981 to receive voluntary contributions from Governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals for distribution to non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian assistance to victims of torture and members of their family.

II. ADMISSIBILITY

2. Applications for grants should aim at providing medical, psychological, social, economic, legal, humanitarian or other forms of assistance to victims of torture and members of their families.

3. Subject to availability of funds, a limited number of grants could also be given for the training of professionals or for the organization of conferences and seminars with a special focus on the treatment of victims of torture.

4. The amount of the grant requested cannot exceed one third of the annual budget of the programme submitted.

5. Only non-governmental organizations can apply for grants from the Fund. Applications from Governments, national liberation movements or political parties are not admissible.

6. Selection criteria: the staff of the project should have experience in direct assistance to victims of torture and the programme should be functioning.  Projects aiming at campaigning against torture, preventing torture or providing financial assistance to other projects are not admissible. No new application for a grant can be considered until satisfactory narrative and financial reports on the use of previous grants are received.

III. DECISION-MAKING

7. The Chairman and the other members of the Board of Trustees of the Fund are appointed by the Secretary-General for a three-year term renewable.  The current members of the Board are: Mr. Jaap Walkate (Chairman); Mr. Ribot Hatano; Mrs.  Elizabeth Odio-Benito; Mr. Ivan Tosevski and Mr. Amos Wako.

8. During its annual session in May, the Board reviews the narrative and financial reports on the use of previous grants, adopts recommendations on applications for new grants, hears project leaders, meets with donors, consults with the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Committee against Torture and adopts other relevant recommendations to the Secretary-General on the activities of the Fund. The 23rd session of the Board will take place from 10 to 27 May 2004 in Geneva. 

9. On the basis of the recommendations of the Board of Trustees, the High Commissioner for Human Rights approves in June, on behalf of the Secretary-General, decisions on grants.

IV. THE GRANTS CYCLE

10. Applications for grants must be submitted by 30 November each year for analysis by the secretariat of the Fund, as well as the narrative and financial report on the use of any previous grant. Admissible applications are examined by the Board of Trustees at its annual session in May. All applicants are informed of the decisions by mid-July. The grants are paid at the end of July/beginning of August. Beneficiaries must provide satisfactory narrative and financial reports on the use of grants before 30 November. 

  V. PROGRAMMES APPROVED FOR 2003/2004

11. Applications for grants amounting to approximately US$13,000,000 were received for consideration by the Board of Trustees at its 22nd session (12-28 May 2003). About US$7.2 million for new grants for 2003/2004 for 186 projects submitted by non-governmental organizations in 68 countries were approved by the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights on behalf of the Secretary-General upon recommendations adopted by the Board of Trustees at that session.

VI. REPORTING ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FUND

12. In accordance with the arrangements adopted by the General Assembly when the Fund was established, the Secretary-General reports once a year both to the General Assembly and to the Commission on Human Rights on the activities of the Fund and its Board of Trustees. 

13. The latest reports by the Secretary-General are the reports to the General Assembly (A/58/284) and to the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/2004/53).

VII.  FUNDRAISING

14.  In its resolution 2003/32 adopted on 23 April 2003, the Commission on Human Rights appealed to all Governments, organizations and individuals to contribute annually to the Fund and preferably by 1 March before the annual session of the Board, if possible with a substantial increase in the contributions in order to take into consideration the ever-increasing requests for assistance.

VIII.  26 JUNE:  UN INTERNATIONAL DAY IN
SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF TORTURE

15. In its resolution 52/149 of 12 December 1997, the General Assembly proclaimed 26 June as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Since 1998 the four main United Nations organs dealing with torture, namely the Board of Trustees of the Fund, the Committee against Torture, the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the High Commissioner for Human Rights issue each year a Joint Declaration according to which organizations providing assistance to victims of torture were encouraged to celebrate this Day. An exhibition of art works donated by organizations assisting victims of torture benefiting from the assistance of the Fund was held at the Office of the High Commissioner from 26 June to 15 August 2003.

IX.  CONTACTS

16. For any additional information, please contact the Fund’s secretariat c/o United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Trust Funds Unit/Support Services Branch, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, phone  (41.22) 917.93.15, fax (41.22)  917.90.17,  email:unvfvt@ohchr.org

X CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND.

17. For information on how to contribute to Fund, kindly contact the secretariat at the address indicated above.