Advocacy and outreach
The Advocacy Department of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC) plays a crucial role in advancing our mission and objectives. We are dedicated to raising awareness about the issue of torture, fostering a culture of human rights, and advocating for the rights and needs of survivors.
Through our advocacy initiatives, we aim to influence policies and legal frameworks, submit shadow reports, and work toward the prevention of torture, ensuring accountability for perpetrators, and promoting the protection and rehabilitation of survivors. We engage with government agencies, international organizations, civil society groups, global partners, and the public to advocate for stronger legislation, alignment with international laws, ratification of anti-torture conventions, and the implementation of effective preventative measures. Furthermore, we seek to amplify the voices of survivors, empowering them to share their stories and defend their rights.
Our awareness-raising programs and campaigns are designed to provide the public with accurate and reliable information about torture and its long-term consequences.
The Advocacy Department is committed to ensuring that torture victims are able to access justice and compensation. This involves advocating for the development and strengthening of legislation related to the protection of torture survivors, as well as working with relevant stakeholders to improve accountability mechanisms. Additionally, we provide safe spaces for victims to share their experiences and express their demands.
Our department also plays a pivotal role in driving cultural change and raising awareness about the effects of torture and the need to prevent it. We work to highlight the values of human rights and justice through public awareness campaigns and events that aim to educate the community about the problem of torture and support efforts to combat it. We also promote ethical principles in society to reduce the occurrence of torture.
Coalitions and Networking
TRC places great importance on networking as a means of maximizing the impact of human rights programming, influencing policies to safeguard human rights, and facilitating information exchange among relevant organizations. To this end, TRC participates in, and at times leads, six key coalitions focused on defending human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. TRC is also a key player in several national and international working groups, including the National Coalition against Torture, the National Consultation on Treaty Committees (led by OHCHR, EU, and the Ministry of Interior), the Protection Cluster Working Group, and the Child Protection Network.
TRC's Key Partnerships and Coalitions:
- Palestinian Coalition against Torture: TRC leads this coalition, advocating for the eradication of torture in Palestine.
- International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT): TRC is a member of the world’s largest civil society organization specializing in torture rehabilitation.
- Palestinian Civil Team for Budget Transparency: A coalition advocating for transparency in the allocation and expenditure of public funds in Palestine.
- PNGO Network: TRC is an active member of this Palestinian non-governmental organization network.
- East Jerusalem Coordination Committee for Child Protection: Established under UNICEF’s supervision in 2018, this committee addresses child protection issues.
- Media and Human Rights Civil Coalition for Court Decision Execution: TRC is a member of this coalition, which promotes the enforcement of judicial rulings in Palestine.
Through these coalitions and partnerships, TRC enhances its capacity to advocate for torture survivors and contributes to the broader effort of upholding human rights in Palestine and beyond.
