February 16, 2011
Presented at Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, February 16, 2011, public hearing on the “Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”.
The importance of the OPCAT and the role of doctors and other health professionals in preventative visits
The Medical Action Group (MAG) is a health and human rights organizations which envisions a society where fundamental human rights are upheld at protected at all times in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). MAG is a member of the United Against Torture Coalition (UATC)-Philippines.
The right to reparation for victims of a wrongful act is a well-established principle of international law. This obligation also applies in respect to international human rights and humanitarian law. Rehabilitation is a very practical form of assistance for victims of torture. It is widely acknowledged, amongst those working in this field, within the human rights community, and amongst torture survivors themselves, that rehabilitation services are most effective when they combine a variety of multidisciplinary inputs: medical and psychological interventions, together with complementary psychosocial, legal and social services.
