FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 JULY, 2011

First Istanbul Protocol Training for New Zealand Yields Results

Leading trainers from the International Rehabilitation Council on Torture ( IRCT) in Geneva supported by funding from the European Commission and UNHCR recently delivered a three-day course on application of the Istanbul Protocol to a group of 45 in Auckland consisting of medical practitioners, lawyers, mental health practitioners and government officials.

Professor Thomas Wenzel from Vienna, Professor Sebnem Fincanci from Turkey, and Alice Verghese from Copenhagen joined New Zealand trainers Rodger Haines, QC, Dr Grant Galpin, and Dr Martin Reeve in the first training for New Zealand practitioners in how to assess, treat and report torture under standards and guidelines of this international protocol.

The Istanbul Protocol was developed by the United Nations as an international standard for assessment, treatment, and reporting of cases of torture, and in addressing and in preventing its occurrence . The course was organised and run by RASNZ. Professor Wenzel is Secretary-General of the International Academy on Law and Mental Health in Denmark. Professor Fincanci is internationally known in forensic medicine and worked with a team investigating in the aftermath of the Abu Ghaib prison matter in Iraq in 2005.

Leading immigration lawyer, Carole Curtis said, “this training has been long overdue for New Zealand as we need to assure best practice in assessment and rehabilitation for victims of torture in order to uphold human rights. The trainers were excellent and we are fortunate that ICRT has assisted us with such a high standard of capacity-building.”

“One of the best and most important aspects was bringing together for the first time legal, medical and mental health professionals, as well as some of the decision-makers from Government who review asylum claims. Everyone brings a unique perspective and sharing our views has been very helpful and enlightening,” she said.

Follow-up action identified as a result of the training:

1. The need to establish a register/resource of qualified/experienced/trained medical doctors who can carry out forensic assessments in accordance with the IP standards and procedures in New Zealand.

2. The need to establish a register/resource base of qualified/experienced/trained independent psychologists and psychiatrists who can carry out mental health assessments in accordance with the IP standards and procedures in New Zealand.

3. The need to include some of the IP training in some aspects of it into the Medical School curriculum or into GP continuing education training.

4. The need to establish a systematic, accessible and practical way for lawyers who are working with a claimant with a history of torture to obtain a stream of funding to insure human rights are upheld through engagement of qualified medical and mental health professionals to carry out objective and well-prepared reports which will be useful in informing decision-makers.

5. The need for some ongoing networking, and interaction around best practice in torture survivors and application of the IP.

The IRCT trainers arrived several days earlier and also carried out forensic examinations for some survivors of torture in conjunction with local medical practitioners and lawyers. As a result of the training, an interest group has been formed to meet quarterly to advance common objectives and best practice in the field.

ENDS

RASNZ www.rasnz.co.nz is the New Zealand Refugee Health and Wellbeing agency. A charitable, non-profit organisation, RASNZ has the mission: “Refugees and those from related backgrounds will have access to effective and culturally responsive health services to assist their successful resettlement in New Zealand.”

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