The International Federation of ACAT (FIACAT) is an international Non-Governmental Organisation for the defence of human rights whose mandate is to fight for the abolition of torture and of the death penalty.

The network

FIACAT was created by the 10 ACATs on 8 February 1987. It brings together thirty national associations – ACATs – present in four continents ; 25 are affiliated.

International representation of the network

FIACAT represents the ACATs before the international and regional bodies with which it has consultative status before the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 (UN) and International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF), participative status at the Council of Europe

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...

 and observer status before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
FIACAT also works in close collaboration with other non-governmental organisations for the defence of human rights as well as the Churches and religious congregations.

Managing the network

FIACAT contributes to the active life of the ACAT network by promoting exchanges between the different groups, by proposing joint activities or campaigns as well as regional or international training courses.
It helps the ACATs to structure their work, to become competent and effective in the fight for the abolition of torture and the death penalty, to be actors in civil society capable of transforming or influencing the mentality and the structures of their country, starting with the Christian communities and the Churches.
FIACAT’s website gives a voice to the thirty national associations who are members. Some ACATs run their own sites, and the FIACAT site enables other ACATs to make known their activities and their aims.
As well as its website FIACAT circulates several publications :

- The FIACAT News is a means of communication which enables us periodically to report on the activities of the whole membership of the Federation. Three numbers were published during 2009 ;

- The FIACAT Newsletter is a means of communication which regularly distributes information concerning FIACAT’s activities.

Structure and functioning

FIACAT is a non-profit-making organisation under French law. The work of the international secretariat, composed of three people, is supervised by an International Bureau elected by the international Council which every four years brings together the delegates of the member associations of the network and establishes the broad orientation of the organization.

Financing

FIACAT is able to carry out its missions thanks to the financial support of the members of its network, of individuals, of NGOs as well as States.