FOREWORD: Over four years, the IRCT’s Great Lakes Project supported a unique and exciting collaboration between six rehabilitation centres in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, directly benefitting torture victims.

In a region marked by unrest, violence and horrific cruelty, these centres worked together to empower victims of torture to become pro-active, engaged and responsible actors in the social, economic and political development of their communities. The conceptual basis of this work is the IRCT’s mission to promote full implementation of the right to rehabilitation of torture victims, as defined by the United Nations Committee against Torture in General Comment 3 to Article 14 of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment. To further the effective entitlement of torture victims to their right to rehabilitation, the IRCT membership believes that, in order to be adequate, rehabilitation has to be holistic and be decided by the right holders.

This report highlights the stories of torture victims who are bravely rebuilding their lives with the support and care provided by the centres through four key approaches:

1. A medical referral system
2. Restoring dignity through livelihoods
3. Supporting victims in the fight against impunity
4. Changing lives through community-based social counselling

A key element of the Great Lakes Project was to empower both the victim and secondary victims, who are often overlooked but affected by the traumatic experiences of those close to them. In addition, it focused on rural areas, reaching out to victims in need who would likely never have received rehabilitation services otherwise.

The project brought communities together, healing wounds and creating platforms for dialogue and reconciliation in countries that have seen civil wars, genocide and refugee crises. Its legacy continues through new partnerships between service providers, increased access to services, new businesses set up by victims, social counselling groups run solely on the initiative of beneficiaries of the project, medical professionals who can now produce high-quality medico-legal documentation and victims being supported through legal proceedings and challenging impunity.

The IRCT and our partners hope this report provides an insight into the work of the centres and the achievements of the Great Lakes Project, which we believe is an invaluable stepping stone to ensuring as many torture victims as possible receive holistic rehabilitation services and can play an active role in their community once more.

Victor Madrigal
IRCT Secretary-General