About

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture provides funding support to civil society organizations that deliver direct assistance and capacity-building services to survivors of torture and their families worldwide.

The focus areas and priorities of the Fund include social support, psychological assistance, medical care, legal services, humanitarian assistance, capacity-building training, a victim-centered approach, gender integration across all project stages, non-discrimination in service delivery, and direct redress and rehabilitation for victims of torture and their family members.

For more than four decades, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture has accompanied survivors on their path toward redress by channeling voluntary contributions to eligible non-governmental entities. These entities include organizations such as rehabilitation centers, foundations, associations of victims, hospitals, and legal clinics that have demonstrable experience in providing rehabilitation and redress services to victims of torture. Eligible organizations must have been legally registered and operational for at least one year and must hold a bank account in the organization’s registered name.

Grant amounts for direct assistance projects may reach up to US$50,000 for first-time applicants and up to US$100,000 for ongoing grantees, while capacity-building projects are funded up to a maximum of US$50,000. Capacity-building grants are intended to strengthen the provision of direct support to torture victims through training delivered to individuals, organizations, or specialized networks working directly with survivors.

The Fund also offers emergency grants under exceptional circumstances that require an immediate response. These grants are available throughout the year and may support projects for up to twelve months, with funding of up to US$100,000. Emergency funding is intended for situations involving sudden changes in circumstances, such as human rights or humanitarian crises, that result in an extraordinary increase in the number or needs of torture survivors.

Eligibility

The Fund supports projects that deliver direct services such as social, psychological, medical, legal, and humanitarian assistance to torture survivors and their families. All supported interventions must follow a victim-centered methodology, integrate a gender perspective, and ensure that services are provided without discrimination based on race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability, or other status. Advocacy, awareness-raising, and research activities are not covered under the Fund’s mandate.

Post Date: January 17, 2026