A/HRC/19/26 I. Introduction A. Submission of the report 1. The present note was prepared in accordance with the arrangements approved by the Human Rights Council in its decision 2/102. It presents updated information on the activities of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Given, however, that the thirty-fifth session of the Board of Trustees, originally planned for October 2011, was postponed to January 2012, no recommendations for grants for 2012 have been made. The present note will be complemented by the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Fund, to be submitted to the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session, detailing the outcomes of the thirty-fifth session of the Board of Trustees. B. Mandate of the Fund 2. The Fund receives voluntary contributions from States, non-governmental organizations and private sources, including individuals. In accordance with the practice established by its Board of Trustees in 1982, the Fund provides grants to non-governmental organizations and other channels of assistance that submit projects involving medical, psychological, social, financial, legal and humanitarian or other forms of assistance to torture victims and their relatives. C. Board of Trustees 3. The Secretary-General administers the Fund through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) with the advice of the Board of Trustees, composed of five members acting in a personal capacity and appointed by the Secretary-General with due regard to equitable geographical distribution and in consultation with their Governments. On 26 October 2011, the Secretary-General reappointed Mercedes Doretti (Argentina) for a final period of three years, and appointed Natasa Kandic (Serbia), Maria Cristina de Mendonca (Portugal), Morad el-Shazly (Egypt) and Anastasia Pinto (India) for a three-year term, renewable once. D. Admissibility criteria 4. Project admissibility criteria are outlined in the guidelines of the Fund. They require a project to be presented by a non-governmental organization or other channels of assistance. The beneficiaries must be direct victims of torture and/or direct family members. Priority is given to projects providing direct assistance to torture victims, which could consist of medical or psychological assistance, help with social or financial reintegration through vocational training for victims, and various forms of legal assistance for victims or members of their families, including assistance for seeking redress or applying for asylum. Depending on the funds available, the Fund may finance projects to organize training programmes, seminars or conferences to allow health-care professionals or other service providers to exchange best practices. Grant requests for projects involving investigation, research, studies, publications or similar activities are not admissible. The Fund may provide emergency assistance to individuals in countries where no project is receiving support. This type of request is examined according to a specific procedure outlined in the guidelines. 2