During its annual session, the Board of Trustees reviews the narrative and financial reports on the use of previous grants, adopts recommendations on applications for new grants, hears project leaders, meets with donors, consults with the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Committee against Torture and adopts other relevant recommendations to the Secretary-General on the activities of the Fund.

The 31st session of the Board was held in Geneva from 19 to 23 October 2009. The recommendations of the Board adopted at the 31st session were approved by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on behalf of the Secretary-General.

The Board of Trustees has received an average of US$18 million in funding requests for 2010 and has awarded about US$11,9 million in grants to support more than 230 projects in more than 70 countries.