Deadline: 1 March 2017
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is accepting project applications for its 2017 call for applications to the Special Fund of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture.
In 2017, the OPCAT Special Fund will accept project applications aimed at implementing recommendations made by the Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture after a visit to a State party, provided these recommendations are contained in a report that has been made public in accordance with article 16(2) of OPCAT.
The proposed projects should aim to contribute to the implementation of country-specific recommendations on the establishment or effective functioning of national preventive mechanisms.
The Special Fund was established pursuant to article 26 of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture. The purpose of the Fund is to help finance the implementation of the recommendations made by the Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) after a visit to a State party to the Optional Protocol as well as education programmes of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). The Fund receives voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other private or public entities.
The Fund is managed by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in conformity with the United Nations Financial Rules and Regulations and the relevant policies and procedures promulgated by the Secretary-General. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is advised by the Working Group of the Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, representing the SPT through the OHCHR Grants Committee.
Funding Information: The maximum amount of a grant is US$ 25,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications may be submitted by:
- State parties having been visited by the SPT in the context of a regular visit following which the State party has agreed to the publication of the SPT visit report, and NPMs of these State parties;
- State parties or NPMs which, having been visited by the SPT in the context of an NPM Advisory Visit, have agreed to the publication of the subsequent SPT report addressed to them;
- National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) that are compliant with the Paris Principles and if the proposed projects are implemented in cooperation with the entity responsible for implementing the recommendations made by the SPT in the published visit report, be it the State party or the NPM.
- Non-governmental organizations if the proposed projects are implemented in cooperation with the entity responsible for implementing the recommendations made by the SPT in the published visit report, be it the State party or the NPM.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can download the application forms via given website.
Eligible Countries
- State parties having published their reports following a regular SPT visit: Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Gabon. Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Maldives, Mali, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Sweden, Ukraine
- State parties having published their reports following an SPT advisory visit: Armenia, Malta, Netherlands
- NPMs having published their reports following an SPT advisory visit: Ecuador, Honduras, Senegal
- State parties and NPMs having published their reports following an SPT advisory visit: Germany, Republic of Moldova
For more information, please visit OHCHR Special Fund.