United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in South Africa is primarily dedicated to commemorating and honoring the struggle and resilience of victims who have endured the inhumane practice of torture. It serves as a reminder for individuals, governments, and organizations to unite and support these victims as they rebuild their lives. This day also promotes the importance of eradicating torture and establishing safeguards against it, while advocating for justice and the rehabilitation of those affected.

The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1997, following the 1984 adoption of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. For South Africa, this day holds particular significance as the country faced state-sanctioned torture and abuse during the apartheid era. Post-apartheid South Africa has made strides in addressing torture, including becoming a party to the United Nations Convention against Torture in 1998 and ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture in 2006. South Africa’s commitment to supporting victims of torture and addressing this issue demonstrates the importance of the day for the country.

The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed globally, including in South Africa, every year on June 26th. This day serves to ensure that the struggle of torture survivors is not forgotten, and that the international community remains committed to the eradication of this heinous practice.

Facts & quotes about victims of torture

• The term torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions - UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
• Torturers must never be allowed to get away with their crimes, and systems that enable torture should be dismantled or transformed - UN Secretary-General António Guterres
• The UN not only supports victims themselves but also their family members who might be affected by the trauma.
• South Africa's Constitution, adopted in 1996, explicitly prohibits torture in Section 12(1)(e), which states that: Everyone has the right to freedom and security of the person, which includes the right not to be tortured in any way.
• After the end of apartheid, South Africa established the TRC in 1995 to investigate and document past human rights abuses, including acts of torture.

In the News and Trending in South Africa for United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Top things to do in South Africa for this observance

• Watch the UN's video on torture and how it is done in secret.
• Learn more about the UN's fund for victims of torture.
• Watch a film about victims of torture in South Africa. Here are our suggestions:
  1. Cry Freedom (1987) - A drama film based on the life of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko and the friendship between him and journalist Donald Woods. The film touches on the torture and violence faced by black activists in South Africa under apartheid.
  2. Red Dust (2004) - A drama film featuring two interconnected stories about the post-apartheid South Africa, dealing with the victims of torture and abuse by the apartheid government. The film provides insights into the process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the experiences of the victims.
  3. The Bang Bang Club (2010) - A biographical drama film that tells the true story of a group of four combat photographers who risked their lives to document the atrocities of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Through their lens, viewers are exposed to the torture, brutality, and injustices faced by the victims during the apartheid era.
• Read a book about the UN Support of victims of torture in South Africa. Here are some recommendations:
  1. The Politics of Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: Legitimizing the Post-Apartheid State by Richard A. Wilson
  2. Unfinished Business: South Africa, Apartheid, and Truth by Terry Bell and Dumisa Buhle Ntsebeza
  3. Confronting the Truth: Truth Commissions and Societies in Transition by Priscilla Hayner