A/HRC/31/23 Mendez of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights of the European Commission to share information on grant-making in the field of the fight against torture. 19. The Board also made policy-related recommendations, later endorsed by the High Commissioner. Recalling its desire to make the Fund a platform for knowledge-sharing and expertise, the Board recommended that the secretariat organize a thematic workshop at its forty-third session (April 2016), to which selected experts and practitioners would be invited to present their research and experience. The workshop would focus on the consequences of torture on children and the prevention of inter-generational transmission of trauma. The first workshop of this kind, an expert workshop of practitioners on redress and rehabilitation for victims of torture in emergency contexts and long-terms needs of victims, was convened by the Board at its forty-first session (April 2015) (see A/70/223). 20. In 2016, the Fund will also celebrate the thirty-fifth anniversary of its establishment by the General Assembly. In coordination with the OHCHR Communications Section, the Board agreed to launch a campaign to draw public attention to the plight of victims of torture as well as to galvanize support for this essential victim-centred mechanism. For this important occasion, the Fund will urge renewed support in the form of voluntary contributions from Member States and private donors. V. Making a contribution 21. Governments, non-governmental organizations and other private or public entities can contribute to the Fund. It is important to note that only specifically earmarked contributions are attributed to the Fund. For more information on how to contribute and details about the Fund, donors are requested to contact the secretariat of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; e-mail: unvfvt@ohchr.org; telephone: +41 22 917 9624; fax: +41 22 917 9017. VI. Conclusions and recommendations 22. The complexity of contexts and crises in which torture takes place has grown in recent years, resulting in an increase in the practice of torture and the number of victims every year. The need for redress and rehabilitation has become more pressing than ever. 23. As the Secretary-General noted in his statement of 26 June 2015 on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture channels vital funding to centres assisting victims of torture. It is a practical tool of the United Nations to extend prompt assistance to victims of torture and members of their families. Seeking to provide redress, including rehabilitation, to tens of thousands of victims of torture every year in all regions of the world, the Fund is an integral part of the work of the United Nations against torture. 24. For the second year in a row, the Board has set aside funding for emergency applications, to be received through the intersessional emergency procedure of the Fund, in order to respond rapidly to new and emergency requests for assistance, in particular in the context of unfolding humanitarian crises. 25. The Board also holds the view that in light of the increasing challenges described above, there is a need to facilitate knowledge-sharing among rehabilitation practitioners. The Fund should serve as a platform for sharing expertise in this field through the holding of annual thematic workshops. 6