The OPCAT Special Fund will accept project applications aimed at implementing recommendations made by the Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) after a visit to a State party, provided these recommendations are contained in a report that has been made public in accordance with article 16(2) of OPCAT. The 2024 Call for Applications is therefore open for projects to be implemented in the following eligible countries:

• State parties having published their reports (including their respective National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), if any) following a SPT visit (regular or advisory)
  Argentina (2012), Armenia (2013), Benin (2018), Belize (2019), Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (2018), Brazil (2016), Bulgaria (2022), Chile (2016), Costa Rica (2020), Cyprus (2017), Gabon (2014), Germany (2013), Honduras (2012), Italy (2016), Kazakhstan (2017), Kyrgyzstan (2013), Maldives (2020), Mali (2012), Malta (2015), Mexico (2017), Mongolia (2018), Netherlands (2016), New Zealand (2013), Nicaragua (2022), Niger (2020), North Macedonia (2018), Panama (2017), Paraguay (2010), Peru (2014), Poland (2020), Portugal (2019), Republic of Moldova (2014), Romania (2017), Spain (2019), Sweden (2008), Switzerland (2021), Togo (2015), Turkey (2019), Ukraine (2017), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2021) and Uruguay (2019)
• NPMs having published their reports following an SPT advisory visit
  Ecuador (2015), Hungary (2018), Mauritania (2018), Senegal (2013 and 2019), Tunisia (2017).

In addition, national preventive mechanisms of all 93 States parties to the Optional Protocol may seek financial support for their educational programmes by applying to the Special Fund for a grant, regardless of whether the SPT has undertaken a visit or whether, following a visit of the SPT, a visit report has been published.

Educational programmes of national preventive mechanisms include educational, training and awareness-raising programmes. Such programmes can be internal, e.g. aiming at increasing knowledge, skills and capacity of NPM members and staff, as well as external, e.g. aiming at education of external actors, such as relevant professional groups (including law enforcement personnel, medical personnel, public officials, judiciary, Members of Parliament, lawyers, prosecutors and teachers), persons in detention and public.

Grant applications seeking support for educational programmes of national preventive mechanisms may include the following activities relevant to prevention of torture and ill-treatment:

• trainings, workshops, seminars, conferences;
• research and teaching programmes;
• awareness raising activities (public campaigns, production of promotional materials, development of websites, media emissions);
• other activities aiming at education on prevention of torture and ill-treatment.

Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by:

• State parties having been visited by the SPT and have agreed to the publication of the SPT visit report, and NPMs of these State parties;

• NPMs having been visited by the SPT and having agreed to the publication of the subsequent SPT report addressed to them or requesting support for their educational programmes;

• National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) that are compliant with the Paris Principles and if the proposed projects are implemented in cooperation with the entity responsible for implementing the recommendations made by the SPT in the published visit report, be it the State party or the NPM.

• Non-governmental organizations if the proposed projects are implemented in cooperation with the entity responsible for implementing the recommendations made by the SPT in the published visit report, be it the State party or the NPM.

Focus of proposals:

The proposed projects should aim to contribute to the establishment or effective functioning of national preventive mechanisms a) through implementation of country-specific recommendations that the SPT made after the country visit or NPM’s visit which are contained in the published SPT visit report or b) through educational programmes of national preventive mechanisms.

How to apply:

Please download the form here, complete and return the following documents along with any other supporting documents you may wish to include by 1 March 2024:

All applicants
1. Application form (signed and stamped)
2. Budget form
3. Certification form (to be signed by the official with the delegated authority to sign agreements, it should be the same person who will sign the agreement)
4. F.249 PUB from (banking details)
5. Bank statement or official letter from a bank confirming the bank/account information (mandatory for certain countries from Latin America: Argentina (22 digit CBU), Brazil (IBAN), Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela – Mexico: CLABE number)

New applicants (in addition to above)
6. Certification of registration for grantees who do not already have a BP number (first time they receive a grant)

NGO applicants (in addition to above)
7. Registration at UN Partner Portal (Non-governmental organizations, academia, foundations)

The grants may amount up to 30,000 US$ per project/grantee.