THE CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENTCVT'S CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT (CD) DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN TORTURE AND TRAUMA PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION WORK, INCLUDING ADVANCING JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THROUGH TRAINING, MENTORING, COACHING, CONSULTING, AND PEER EXCHANGE, CD INITIATIVES SUPPORT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO ACHIEVE IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVOCACY, JOB PERFORMANCE, SECURITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONING (INCLUDING IMPROVED SERVICE QUALITY FOR TORTURE SURVIVORS). THE NATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING (NCB) PROJECT ORGANIZES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR A LARGE U.S.-BASED NETWORK OF 49 TORTURE SURVIVOR CENTERS AND PROGRAMS IN 26 STATES, ALONG WITH OTHER REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, TO STRENGTHEN THE DELIVERY OF INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE CARE FOR SURVIVORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. IN 2025 NCB PROVIDED TRAINING, WEBINARS, MEETINGS AND CONSULTATIONS BENEFITING AT LEAST 104 ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTING 602 NON-UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS. THE HELPING SURVIVORS HEAL (HSH) PROJECT WORKED WITH 12 TORTURE REHABILITATION ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S. TO EXPAND ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE EVIDENCE BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF TORTURE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE HSH PROJECT AND THESE PARTNERSHIPS WERE HALTED BY THE STOP WORK ORDERS FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN JANUARY 2025.THE NEW TACTICS IN HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM PROMOTES ENHANCED STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL PLANNING AND ACTION AMONG THE GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY AND ONLINE WITH THOUSANDS OF TRAINING PARTICIPANTS FROM 89 COUNTRIES. THE IDREAM PROJECT SUPPORTS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (HRDS) AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO EXILE DUE TO THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY WORK, BY PROVIDING CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THESE THREE AREAS: MENTAL HEALTH RESILIENCE, EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY, AND INTEGRATED SECURITY; OTHER PROJECTS PROVIDE SIMILAR SUPPORT TO HRDS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. THE ADAPTIVE RESILIENCE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AT RISK (ARC) PROJECT MEASURABLY AND SUSTAINABLY FOSTERS THE HOLISTIC SECURITY AND RESILIENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, USING A STRENGTHS-BASED AND ADAPTIVE APPROACH IN THE FACE OF DYNAMIC THREAT ENVIRONMENTS AND CLOSING CIVIC SPACE. IT BUILDS SAFETY, ENHANCES CONTEXTUALIZED AND ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS PEER COLLABORATION. CVT'S MYANMAR INITIATIVE ENGAGES WITH CIVIL SOCIETY IN REFUGE AND EXILE AS THEY PROVIDE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SURVIVORS OF TORTURE INITIATIVE (SOTI) SUPPORTS SYRIAN CIVIL SOCIETY TO ADVANCE INCLUSIVE JUSTICE AND HEAL TRAUMA. WITH A NETWORK OF ABOUT 100 SYRIAN ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL, IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT MECHANISM (IIIM) AND THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION ON MISSING PERSONS IN THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC (IIMP), SOTI PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT TO GROUPS REBUILDING SYRIA. IT FOCUSES ON DETAINEES, TORTURE SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, PROVIDING RESILIENCE AND REHABILITATION SERVICES TO VICTIMS AS WELL AS THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WHO SUPPORT THEM. ITS THERAPEUTIC MODEL FOR DOCUMENTATION OF VIOLATIONS SUPPORTS ADVOCACY, LITIGATION, AND INVESTIGATION EFFORTS. IN FY25, THE PROJECT ADAPTED TO SHIFTING CIRCUMSTANCES IN SYRIA AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION; HOWEVER, LENGTHY PROJECT SUSPENSION AND UNCERTAINTY IMPEDED CVT'S IMPLEMENTATION. RELATEDLY, "SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF ATROCITY CRIMES PARTICIPATING IN ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES" AIMS TO STRENGTHEN JUSTICE FOR SYRIANS. IT DOES THIS BY SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, COORDINATING SERVICES FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES, AND ENGAGING WITH ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO CREATE AWARENESS OF PARTICIPATION BARRIERS. A CORNERSTONE OF THIS PROJECT IS THE CO-DESIGN OF A COLLABORATIVE SYSTEM FOR COORDINATING AND FUNDING SUPPORT ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS AND SERVICES. THIS PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED BEFORE THE CO-DESIGN PROCESS COULD TAKE PLACE, AND SUBGRANTS COULD NOT BE ISSUED DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF ONGOING PROJECT REVIEWS.CVT'S EFFORTS TO REGISTER AND INITIATE OPERATIONS INSIDE SYRIA WERE SUPPORTED BY PRIVATE FUNDING.IN IRAQ, CVT'S "JUSTICE WITH THE SHABAK" PROJECT AIMS TO ADVANCE JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY STRENGTHENING REPARATIONS ENGAGEMENT FOR SHABAK SURVIVORS OF ATROCITY CRIMES WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY EXPERIENCED ABANDONMENT, EXCLUSION, AND MARGINALIZATION AND WHO FACE BARRIERS TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN LEGAL REDRESS, NOTABLY CLAIMING THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE YAZIDI SURVIVOR LAW (YSL). ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THESE BARRIERS; PROVISION OF RESILIENCE SERVICES TO SUPPORT ENGAGEMENT; AND SUPPORTING SURVIVORS TO CLAIM BENEFITS UNDER REPARATIONS LAW. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN IMPLEMENTING ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ACCOMPLISH JOINT EFFORTS. THE PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER, WHICH LARGELY FOCUSED ON HIRING OF STAFF AND OTHER FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES. FOLLOWING A LIFT OF SUSPENSION, UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE PROJECT'S FUTURE IMPEDED ITS IMPLEMENTATION, IN PARTICULAR SUBGRANTS AND SERVICES.CVT IS ALSO A SUBGRANTEE ON ANOTHER IRAQ-BASED PROJECT THAT AIMS TO EMPOWER THE "COALITION FOR JUST REPARATIONS" TO ADVANCE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YAZIDI SURVIVOR LAW AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EFFORTS. THE JIYAN FOUNDATION, WHICH LEADS THIS PROJECT, WORKS WITH CVT TO SUPPORT VICTIMS' ASSOCIATIONS, PROMOTE TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES TO DOCUMENTATION, AND SUPPORT THE COALITION IN STRATEGIC ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THIS PROJECT WAS ALSO SUSPENDED FOR A PERIOD IN FY25.FINALLY, CVT PARTICIPATED AS A CONSORTIUM MEMBER IN THE "TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE ~ RAPID RESPONSE" PROJECT, LED BY THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. IN FY25Q1, CVT ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONSORTIUM AND DONOR ON THE PROJECT'S STRATEGIC DIRECTION; HOWEVER, THE PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED IN EARLY Q2 AND TERMINATED IN Q4 DUE TO DONOR RESTRUCTURING.