A/HRC/13/39 the global fight against terrorism and the deliberate undermining of the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment. 73. Although 146 States are party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, most Governments have failed to effectively implement its provisions. Despite the obligation to criminalize torture and prosecute perpetrators of torture under different types of jurisdiction, only very few torturers have been brought to justice worldwide. Impunity continues to be one of the main factors in widespread torture. Despite the obligation to provide victims of torture with an effective remedy and adequate reparation for the harm suffered, only a very small number of victims of torture are able to enjoy this right in the country responsible for inflicting the torture. If victims manage to access medical, psychological and other forms of rehabilitation, this important form of reparation is usually provided by private organizations in countries in which torture victims are granted asylum. Despite the obligation to effectively investigate every allegation or suspicion of torture and ill-treatment, almost no country has established bodies with effective powers of criminal investigation which are also fully independent from the law enforcement officers subject to their investigations. Despite the obligation to take all legislative, administrative, political and other measures necessary to prevent torture, including prompt access of detainees to lawyers, judges, doctors and families, audio- or videotaping of interrogations, the prohibition of using confessions extracted by torture before courts and regular inspections of all places of detention and interrogation by independent bodies, most of the some 10 million detainees around the world can only dream of enjoying such measures. 74. In most countries, conditions of detention in police custody, pretrial detention, other detention facilities and sometimes in correctional institutions for convicted prisoners, amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. Detainees, whether deprived of their liberty for justified or less justified reasons, belong to the most vulnerable and forgotten sectors of our societies. In practice, they are deprived of most of their liberties and human rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living, food, water, health, education and privacy. 75. Among detainees, certain groups are subject to double discrimination and vulnerability, including aliens and members of minorities, women, children, the elderly, the sick, persons with disabilities, drug addicts and gay, lesbian and transgender persons. 76. Other forms of widespread cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment include corporal punishment and excessive police violence during arrest and in reacting to demonstrations and political gatherings, combating riots and similar law enforcement activities. States also do not live up to the standard of due diligence required by the obligation not to commit torture by acquiescence when combating torture and ill-treatment by private actors, including harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation and honour crimes, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings, above all of women and children. 77. In building upon the general recommendations elaborated by his distinguished predecessor, Theo van Boven, in 2003,20 the Special Rapporteur wishes to particularly stress the following recommendations: (a) All States should ratify the United Nations Convention against Torture and fully implement its provisions. In particular, they must criminalize torture, as 20 GE.10-10042 E/CN.4/2003/68, para. 26. 19