In 2024, survivors of torture and other human rights violations from 14 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa shared their experiences, concerns and priorities with the then UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Alice Jill Edwards.
The hearing was organised by the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in collaboration with their Kenyan members and partners: Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), Mwatikho Torture Survivors Foundation (MATESOF), Centre Against Torture Kenya Foundation (CAT) and The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT).
The Nairobi hearing provided an important platform for survivors to articulate the changes they wanted to see in the prevention of torture, access to justice, rehabilitation, accountability and protection of their rights. Their collective recommendations contributed to the Nairobi Declaration, which captures key priorities and demands emerging from survivors across the region.
This survivor-led process contributed to the broader global movement that informed the development of the Charter of Rights of Victims and Survivors of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Charter therefore represents not only an international framework, but also the culmination of survivor voices and experiences gathered through processes such as the Nairobi Survivors’ Hearing.
For Kenya, the Charter provides an important framework for strengthening implementation of existing protections against torture and ensuring that survivors are meaningfully involved in decisions and processes affecting their rights, recovery and pursuit of justice.
From survivor voices to action
The journey from the Nairobi Survivors’ Hearing and Declaration to the global Survivors’ Charter reinforces a fundamental principle: survivors must be at the centre of efforts to prevent torture, secure accountability and achieve lasting change.
Their experiences are not simply evidence of violations. They are a source of knowledge, leadership and solutions for building systems that protect human rights and prevent torture.
Download the Charter here: https://www.imlu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Charter-of-Rights-of-Victims-and-Survivors-of-Torture-English.pdf
