Message from the Secretary General
Dear partners, dear friends,
I would like to announce that I have taken the decision to step down as Secretary General at the end of August.
This has not been an easy decision but it is the right one, both for the organisation and for me.
It has been an immense privilege to lead the APT’s work over the past five-and-a-half years. From an initial period of financial uncertainty, and through the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the APT Board, management and staff have all contributed to an organisational transformation.
The APT is now entering a new phase, with new leadership at the Board level and the development of a new strategic plan. It is timely then that the APT has a new Secretary General to guide the organisation through the fifth decade of its mission: to reaffirm the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, everywhere and at all times.
For me, after 27 years with the APT, it is time to begin the next chapter in my professional life. I will, of course, continue to be active in human rights.
I am proud to leave an organisation that is widely respected, in a strong financial position, with solid partnerships and a passionate and talented team that makes a significant contribution to the prevention of torture and ill-treatment worldwide.
It has been a wonderful journey. I am grateful to the APT for the opportunity to grow professionally, and for the inspiring Board members, partners, colleagues and friends with whom I have been able to work.
There will be time for an official goodbye later this year. For now, I would simply like to say thank you, merci, danke, gracias, obrigada, shukran, and kapunkah.
Barbara Bernath
Message from the Board
The Board acknowledges Barbara’s departure with great regret and wishes to express its gratitude for her immense contribution to APT over the 27 years she dedicated to the organisation, first as Europe Programme Officer, then as Detention Monitoring Programme Officer, before joining the management team as Chief of Operations.
As Secretary General since 1July 2018, Barbara has led the APT amidst challenging periods, including during the pandemic. Under her strategic leadership, our organisation has fostered a growing community around torture prevention worldwide.
Barbara is an outstanding and world-renowned expert on human rights and the prevention of torture. Her experience on the ground, coupled with her strategic and management skills, has contributed tremendously to making the APT what it is today – a leading torture prevention organisation. She has strengthened the APT’s partnerships with donors, civil society organisations and a broad range of human rights and torture prevention bodies.
The APT’s Board and its Bureau wish Barbara much success in the next steps of her career.
The Board is now launching the recruitment for a new Secretary General. The vacancy announcement can be found here: https://www.apt.ch/secretary-general-0