Despite the absolute prohibition against torture, its practice continues to be a feature of several state and non-state actors across Africa. Historically, denial has always surrounded the issue of torture; from the perpetrators’ denial of individuals’ human rights, to the state’s denial of the practice of torture.

Project Activities

• Standing up for survivors of torture and ensuring that they are supported in their efforts to rebuild their lives has always been one of PRAWA major priorities.

 

• PRAWA carried out advocacy activities directly and in partnership with other NGOs. These include International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims IRCT) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).

 

• PRAWA has continued the implementation of its activities on the Prison Reform intervention in African (PRIA) in the 6 African countries namely – Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

• A one-day Stakeholders Forum on the Use of Emergency Telephone Alert System in the Promotion of Human Rights, in Abuja, Nigeria was held. This is part of PRAWA’s activities on Torture Documentation and Redress Scheme Project (TDRS).

 

• Implementation of Police Based Training/Workshop on Promoting Human Rights and Prevention of Torture has been successfully completed. Over 1,020 police officers from 17 divisions under the Federal Capital Territory Command, Abuja benefitted from the training.

Some of the major outcomes of this project include:

• Media awareness campaign on torture prevention.

 

• Psychological and medical intervention for victims of torture in the 3 prisons in Enugu State – Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River prisons.

 

• Provision of training prison officers from the medical/health/welfare units of the 3 prison in Enugu state on rehabilitation in their routine operations. Activities, Psychological rehabilitation skills for torture inmates. The trained officers in the 3 prisons have initiated the inclusion of psychological.

 

• Happily the trained officers assisted PRAWA’s psychologist in the psychological rehabilitation of the tortured inmates in the targeted prisons. 125 tortured inmates have already been reached increasing the total number of prison based torture victim clients of PRAWA on this project presently to 172.