The OHCHR, the Asia Pacific Forum and the Association for the Prevention of Torture have published a new practical guide and interactive CD Rom, entitled 'Preventing Torture: An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions'.
The Guide is a practical tool designed to strengthen the capacity of NHRIs to engage in torture prevention in their countries. The first part provides the legal context for torture prevention. The second part outlines the practical steps that NHRIs can undertake to prevent torture, illustrated with examples of good practices. Possible actions include, for example:
- promoting legal and procedural safeguards,
- training public officials,
- monitoring places of detention,
- cooperating with international mechanisms,
- NHRIs and the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT)
The CD Rom
The Guide is complemented by a CD Rom that contains an electronic version of the guide, as well as relevant documents and further readings. It also features audio-visual support in the form of a documentary featuring interviews with leading international experts, as well as interviews with representatives of NHRIs in Asia-Pacific describing their work on different aspects of torture prevention.
