Pan-African Reparation Initiative meets in Johannesburg

From 14-15 November, REDRESS’s Legal Advisor, Chris Esdaile, is participating in the annual meeting of the Pan-African Reparations Initiative (PARI) convened by our partners, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), focussing on “The situation of torture in Africa”.

PARI brings together approximately 30 experts and organisations working with victims of torture in Africa. It has been instrumental in the development of the General Comment No. 4 on the Right to Redress for Victims of Torture under Article 5 of the African Charter, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in February 2017.

The meeting is focussing on  country updates on the state of torture in Africa, and the development of strategies for the implementation of the General Comment No. 4 at national level. The meeting is also reviewing the drafts of the “Guide to securing the right to rehabilitation for victims of torture in Africa” and “The Guide to Redress for Torture Victims in Africa”.

In introducing the meeting, CSVR said:

“All torture victims have a guaranteed right to redress under international law. Providing full and effective redress and rehabilitation to survivors of torture and trauma can help heal the effects of torture. Recovery from torture requires prompt and specialised programmes that prioritise the needs of torture victims, taking into account their contextual experiences and realities and various beliefs into consideration.”