Suzanne Jabbour
Personal information
Suzanne Jabbour
Chief executive Officer
Contact information (Private)
Contact information (Work)
Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and Violence
+961 6 410577 & +961 6 412296
Community/Lebanon Impact
She has been a mental health professional throughout her life, working closely with victims of torture and war trauma both inside prisons and in the community. Being at the heart of the UN treaty body has bolstered her advocacy efforts and enabled her to learn and share best practices from around the world.
She has used this experience to assist her country in improving detention conditions, upgrading the skills of professionals and law enforcement personnel to enhance existing practices, and supporting Lebanese authorities in creating a legal framework aligned with Lebanon’s international commitments to eradicate torture.
Additionally, she has designed and established a pilot torture prevention mechanism in police custody by implementing an Independent Forensic & Psychological Examination Unit to conduct screenings for torture and ill-treatment of all persons under investigation at the Justice Palace.
Education
Education:
- BA in Psychology - Lebanese University Faculty of Letters and human sciences Beirut – Lebanon
- Master's degree, Clinical Psychology, Holy Spirit University in Kaslik, Lebanon.
Work history
Previous Professions:
- Chief Executive officer of Restart center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture since 2005
- Key expert in the MENA region in lobbying and training on the United Nations Convention against torture, the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, the Istanbul Protocol and the Mandela rules as well as the Bangkok rules.
- Clinical psychologist in direct contact with torture survivors, refugees and prisoners.
- Trainer of tailored programs on Prisons Management, Human Rights Instruments and conventions related to persons deprived of their liberty provided to the Lebanese Internal and General Security Forces and Lebanese army.
- Trainer on the Istanbul protocol, Code of Ethics and Dual loyalty for forensic doctors, affiliated to the Lebanese Ministry of Justice.
- Trainer on thematic focused programs for the Judicial Police in Lebanon on how to investigate with women and children in conflict with the law
- Restart center for rehabilitation of victims of violence and Torture – Lebanon.
Major Achievements
Publications (Books, Articles, Reports, etc.):
- “Analytical and legal study on the role of the Lebanese ISF anti-torture committee”, Community Security and Access to Justice, UNDP. 2018
- Green paper on “The selection process for the appointment of the members of the NHRI and NPM in full compliance with the Paris Principle”, Restart center, 2018
- Step in the right direction: the establishment of the Lebanese National Human Rights Institution and the National Preventive Mechanism, Legal Agenda, January 2017
- Guidelines on how to support COVID-19 patients during quarantine, 2020
- Actions to reduce risk of COVID 19 in Prisons and Places of detention, 2020.
- A Mapping study of the existing monitoring mechanisms in places of detention in Lebanon, 2019
- A policy paper on the right of persons deprived of their liberty to have access to equitable, quality medical care in places of detention.
Major achievements:
- Designed a strategic program aiming at restructuring the forensic unit at the Lebanese Ministry of Justice.
- Incorporated an innovative “Prison Management” training program for the Lebanese internal security forces
- Drafting expert of a Medical Unified Protocol for medical centers in Lebanese prisons.
- Expert appointed by the UNDP to provide awareness sessions on the Lebanese law creating Lebanon's NHRI, which includes the NPM to ISF members including Company commanders, ISF regional leaders, Judicial detachment commanders and officers, Information branch, and Prison company commanders in the respective governorates in Lebanon.
- Consulting expert in the drafting and final revision of the Bill on Criminalization of Torture adopted in 2017 and the law creating the National Human rights institution NHRI and National preventive mechanism NPM in Lebanon adopted in 2016.
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Created an innovative torture preventive mechanism at the Police custody context in 2015. The Pioneer pilot creation consists of an Independent Forensic & Psychological Examination Unit in Tripoli Justice Palace, which guarantees the right of a comprehensive medical screening to each person under investigation.
Exhibitions, lectures & performances:
- She initiated a dialogue between two human rights mechanisms: the Arab Human Rights Committee of the League of Arab States and the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in 2015.
Collaborations and Partnerships:
- Initiated a dialogue between two human rights mechanisms, the Arab Human Rights Committee in the Arab league and the United Nations Sub-committee on prevention of torture UNSPT in 2015
Inventions and Patents:
- Created an innovative torture preventive mechanism at the Police custody context in 2015. The Pioneer pilot creation consists of an Independent Forensic & Psychological Examination Unit in Tripoli Justice Palace, which guarantees the right of a comprehensive medical screening to each person under investigation
Accomplishments
Distinctions:
- Nominated by the Office of United Nations of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, as an exceptional human rights defender from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- Honored as a “Pioneer woman” on the 2017 Occasion of International Women’s day by the Safadi cultural center and under the patronage of the Lebanese Minister for Women’s rights.
- Paul Harris fellowship from Rotary Club (Tripoli), 2003.
- Honored as a “Pioneer woman” on the 2017 Occasion of International Women’s day by the Safadi cultural center and under the patronage of the Lebanese Minister for Women’s rights.
Awards:
- Awarded the North-South prize from the Council of Europe in 2013 for her exceptional commitment to human rights, democracy and rule of law, contributing to the north‐south dialogue and interdependence.
Competences & Skills
Field(s) of Expertise:
- Torture and Ill treatment
- Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and Violence
- Human rights instruments and conventions related to persons deprived of their liberty.
- Mental health
- Managing Social Welfare Institutions
- Capacity Building of NGOs and Government Personnel
- Lobbying and Advocacy
- Children with Special Needs and Cognitive Impairment
- Learning difficulties
Languages:
- Arabic
- French
- English