VoTAN: Victims of Terrorism Advocacy Network

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) launched the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN) officially on April 28, 2025. The initiative is one of the main results of the first UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, held in September 2022.

About VoTAN (Victims of Terrorism Advocacy Network)

• Background: VoTAN was created under the initiative of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, which has been co-chaired by Spain and Iraq for nearly six years. The group emphasizes the protection of victims’ rights globally.
• Origin: The network emerged as a major outcome of the 2022 United Nations Global Congress on Victims of Terrorism.
• Purpose: VoTAN aims to offer a safe and supportive platform where victims and survivors can connect, foster resilience, and take on roles as advocates, educators, and peacebuilders.
• Funding: The initiative is financially supported by Spain.

Objectives of VoTAN (Victims of Terrorism Advocacy Network)

VoTAN will be constructed as an international network of brings victims and survivors of terrorism and victims’ organisations and civil society organisations together all over the globe. The initial aims of VoTAN are to:

• Make a safe haven: To enable victims and survivors to meet each other and interact to support them.
• Develop resilience: To support people and organisations to enhance the capacity to bear the repercussions of terrorism.
• Engage as advocates: In order to empower the victims to become active voices in advocating for their rights and interests.
• Act as educators: To enable the victims to share their experiences and learnings to raise awareness about the effects of terrorism.
• Contribute to peacebuilding: To enable victims to contribute to building tolerance and peace in their communities.

The launch event stressed the need for solidarity with terrorism victims, irrespective of their background. It also stressed the need for immediate increased financial and other assistance to victims and survivors, whose needs are frequently underfunded. The creation of VoTAN was financially assisted by the Kingdom of Spain.

Victims and members of victims’ associations presented their own experiences and their vision for VoTAN as an essential platform for mutual support and collective action, to turn their pain into purpose and build a more inclusive and safer world.

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