Reparations for victims of rights violations not optional
When it comes to providing compensation and rehabilitation to redress the harm provoked by serious human rights and humanitarian law violations, the needs of victims are often left out of the process, said UN expert Fabián Salvioli. “Victims often find themselves in a vulnerable situation and are generally excluded from decision making: that should not continue to happen. I strongly urge States to put victims at the centre of their programmes and grant them full participation so that the process has real legitimacy,” he said. Salvioli, who is the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition, made his statement during the Human Rights Council. In a report presented to the Council, Salvioli says that domestic reparation programmes aimed at providing redress to victims of gross human rights violations need to be more holistic, attending needs that are physical as well as emotional. “Reparations should go beyond compensation, a...