Implementing reparations

REDRESS is working on two initiatives to implement reparations for survivors of torture.

Through our projects “Implementing Reparations for Survivors of Conflict-related Sexual Violence” and “Reparation, Global Solidarity & Partnerships”, we develop and implement survivor-centred legal and advocacy strategies to ensure the effective delivery of reparation measures awarded for torture survivors. We also support national partners by sharing information and exchanging experiences with a view to strengthening the global community of practice on reparations and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the work.  

While there is a strong international legal framework on reparation for torture, and a number of domestic and international decisions awarding reparations to torture survivors, the implementation of such measures, in practice, remains a significant challenge worldwide. There are often gaps in domestic legislation and policy to enforce judgements, and a practical deficit in delivering the measures ordered by courts and adjudicatory international and regional human rights bodies. Therefore, comprehensive, strong, and survivor-centred legal and advocacy strategies are crucial to ensure the effective implementation of reparations. 

Through our holistic strategic litigation approach, we work to ensure the execution of remedies and delivery of reparations, particularly for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). This project explores the main obstacles that CRSV survivors and victims face to access justice and obtain effective reparation. Focusing on key strategic cases, REDRESS, in collaboration with national partners, is developing strategies to draw attention to these emblematic cases, and to advocate for their effective implementation. Our work on emblematic cases, such as the cases of Hissène Habré’s victims in Chad and Purna Maya v. Nepal, is aimed at maximising impact, helping other ongoing cases, and possibly, setting new legal precedents to ensure reparations are secured in future CRSV cases.

Reparations, Global Solidarity & Partnerships 

In complementarity to CRSV cases, REDRESS is also working on the implementation of reparations in a series of strategic cases, including Azul Rojas Marin, and Magdulein Abaida’s cases. We are developing a survivor-centred reparations practice through a series of practice notes, litigation workshops, and ongoing collaboration and support to national partners. We are also building and strengthening a community of practice of lawyers, activists, and NGOs to ensure the long-term sustainability of this work. These partners form part of our REDRESS Solidarity Partners, a group of approximately 50 NGOs around the world with whom we engage to improve the practice on reparations. 

What are our aims? 

Through these initiatives we seek to:  

  • Develop a reparations practice by producing practice notes relating to specific areas of reparations and facilitating litigation workshops; 
  • Promote a number of emblematic CRSV and other reparations cases and advocate for their effective implementation;  
  • Strengthen law and policy to enable access to justice for survivors of torture and the effective delivery of reparation measures;  
  • Identify the main obstacles to implementation in specific strategic cases and promote legal and practical solutions to overcome them;  
  • Build a community of practice of lawyers, activists and NGOs working on reparations, encouraging peer support and sustainability for further implementation work.   
  • If you are interested in discussing the project, please contact our Legal Officers Renata Politi at [email protected] and Alejandro Rodriguez at [email protected].  

We are very grateful to Global Survivors Fund and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund for their generous funding which helps us to undertake this work. 

Photo by ATPDH.