CTI

The Convention against Torture Initiative.

In March 2014, the Governments of Chile, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco marked the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) by launching a global initiative for the universal ratification and implementation of the Convention called the Convention Against Torture Initiative (CTI). In 2019, Fiji joined as part of the core-group behind the initiative.

The vision of the CTI is to work towards, universal ratification of UNCAT and thereby reduce the risk of torture, as all States Parties will be working actively to implement the Convention.

The CTI’s website, www.cti2024.org, provides an important repository of tools and information on CTI activities.

Objectives
The immediate objectives of the CTI are:

• To identify challenges and barriers to ratification and implementation of the UNCAT.
• To address these obstacles through inter-State cooperation, assistance and dialogue.
• To become a hub for sharing knowledge and good practices between governments.
• To build a global platform of States, the UN, national and international NGOs and experts to work jointly to achieve the CTI vision.

Operating principles
The work of the CTI is guided by three fundamental principles:

• Constructive: The CTI takes a constructive approach to the push for ratification and implementation of UNCAT. It is not the role of CTI to “name and shame”, but rather to support Governments in their efforts to pursue ratification of, and to, implement the Convention.
  
  

• Twinning: CTI is an initiative by and for Governments, based on mutual respect and equality, seeking to enhance the exchange of experiences and knowledge in order to learn from others with similar challenges – typically in regional settings.
  
  
• Inspirational: CTI will inspire, facilitate and motivate. Inspire countries by exposing them to the experience of other countries; facilitate by creating a platform for informal meetings with experts and through the development of useful tools; and motivate by highlighting – in the UN and to the public - government efforts to ratify and implement the Convention.

 Organization

The Initiative is spearheaded by the Governments of Chile, Denmark, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco and supported by a full-time Secretariat, based in Geneva. The Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) is designated to support the CTI.

Group of Friends
The CTI is supported by a Group of Friends that serve as a network for the exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas on how to overcome obstacles to ratification and implementation of the UNCAT. All UN Member States and relevant NGOs, experts and academia are invited to join the Group of Friends.

Interest in joining the CTI Group of Friends can be indicated by letter or email to the CTI Secretariat here.