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This is an article that illustrates how the tactical map tool provides a visual understanding of how organizations choose tactics that target different points of intervention. This article uses the issue of torture but the tool can be used for any issue.

Tactical Mapping Example

Each of the identified areas in the diagram highlight points of intervention such as actors, institutions, organizations, etc.
These are all potential points of tactical intervention related to the issue of torture. Each is also located within a social/political framework or context.
While you explore the following mapping example and tactics offered, consider how you might map your own issue to discover potentially new areas to target and intervene.

Tactical mapping can be used to think about:
• What key relationships need to be affected to move your issue and strategy forward?
• What tactics are currently at play or available?
• How do these tactics affect the context, organizations, key relationships, etc., you want to target?
• What key institutions, social groups or relationships are unaffected by current tactics?
• What tactics might be used to engage the areas currently unaffected?
• Can potential allies be identified for building a more comprehensive and effective strategy?

Torture: An example used for Tactical Mapping

In 1998, the Center for Victims of Torture brought together a group of international experts involved in efforts to stop torture. They explored the question: “What makes it possible for so many countries around the world to continue to use torture?”
By using the tactical mapping process they identified that the web of relationships enabling and surrounding torture is highly complex and mutually reinforcing.

A Tactical Map of the Issue of Torture

The original “Tactical Map on Torture” outlines more than 400 relationships related to torture.
The situation chosen for developing the map was a hypothetical situation of torture taking place in a police station.

Consider the different levels—from personal to local to global

The examples provided are just a small sampling of the relationships contained in the original map. The examples shown will illustrate how mapping relationships can help you to identify potential opportunities for intervention. You can then choose the tactics most appropriate to that target, maximizing success to move your strategy forward.

Lessons Learned

Lesson #1

Efforts to stop torture are largely

• uncoordinated
• limited to the use of only a few tactics
• affect very narrow parts of the systems involved
The mapping process exposed major holes of activity where new tactics could be developed to stimulate broader pressures on the systems.

Lesson #2

More coordinated strategy can emerge when we understand how tactics relate to each other:
• Independently
• Synergistically—acting together
• In Conflict with each other

Using the Tactical Map

Tactics apply to different targets, for example: You can find examples of each of these areas on the New Tactics website: http://www.newtactics.org (View “Tools for Action” or enter key words into the “Searchable Tactic Database”)
• Victims of human rights abuses (http://www.newtactics.org/IllWalkBesideYou)
• Perpetrators of abuse (police, soldiers) (http://www.newtactics.org/PlanB)
• Professionals (doctors/lawyers) (http://www.newtactics.org/ExpandingAccesstoJustice)
• Community members (http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/taking-our-own-defense) and (http://www.newtactics.org/BreakingtheSilence)
• Government systems (http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/incorporating-human-rights-education-public-school-system) (http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/providing-parents-funds-allow-them-send-their-children-school-rather-work-0)
• International bodies & mechanisms (http://www.newtactics.org/en/InternationalMonitoringBodies)

 Examples of tactics currently being used at different points of intervention

  Note: the red arrows show the target points of the tactic intervention.

 Targeting victims and those who torture

1. Turkey: Doctors at the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey—Izmir branch —developed a way to document and prove torture for evidence and prosecution of police
2. Nepal: CVICT, a torture treatment center, set up a community mediation program to by-pass police intervention in community conflicts that often result in the victim being victimized again by the police.

1. Treatment Center Doctors

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey—Izmir branch— developed a system of radio scintography to document the use of falanga, a form of torture involving beating of the soles of the feet. The method isolates this form of injury and proves its occurrence beyond any shade of doubt. This creates a powerful tool to bring legal suits against police and others who use this form of torture. It also improves documentation needed in other countries for political asylum cases. Link to Africa case and Latin America case (http://www.newtactics.org/WK224)

2. Community Intervention

CVICT in Nepal developed community mediation boards to provide communities with access to justice without having to bring many of their complaints to the police and thereby intervening in the standard police practices that lead to torture. Link to Example: http://www.newtactics.org/WK222

Examples of targeting police both from within and outside of police structures

From within:

• Liberia: Liberia Law Enforcement Association (LINLEA) develops a professional association Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/en/PromotingProfessionalism
• Turkey: Police Academy uses video tapes Link to Example: http://www.newtactics.org/WK415

From outside:

• Romania: ACET, a torture treatment center builds collaborative human rights training & capacity building of police Link to Example: http://www.newtactics.org/WK215
• Thailand: Forum-Asia builds collaborative human rights training & capacity building of police
• Austria: University training program for police uses the Tandem model for training and relationship building Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/WK415

1. Associations & Police education

The Liberian National Law Enforcement Association was formed in order to address what they defined as the underlying causes of human rights abuses: lack of training, indiscipline, poor leadership or political manipulation of law enforcement personnel. They provide human rights education, training in investigation and legal procedures, grievance support and influence police appointment to leadership positions in Liberia.

2. Police education & training tactics

Police—NGO Collaboration: Assistance Center for Torture Survivors (ACET) in Bulgaria built a collaborative project with police at several levels to build human rights training capacity within the police. Link to Example: http://www.newtactics.org/WK215

3. Targeting the support structures that allow police or other forces to torture

• Turkey: Targeting Professional Associations: The Turkish Medical Association targeted doctors ignoring signs of torture; and the Izmir Bar Association provided pro-bono services to victims in order to gather cases to prosecute perpetrators of torture. (Brazil Case—Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/ExpandingAccesstoJustice
• Northern Ireland: Targeting the legal structure and practices upholding ill treatment and abuse. CAJ effectively used the UN Committee Against Torture to intervene. Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/en/InternationalMonitoringBodies

Targeting Professional Associations

Professional associations can create a powerful leverage point to change behavior. In Turkey, forensic physicians are required by law to monitor the conditions of prisoners and report abuses. The Turkish Medical Association has used this power to suspend the license to practice for those who systematically ignore signs of torture. This tactic was also used to remove the professional licenses of those involved in torture in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

Targeting the Structure

The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) in Northern Ireland used the United Nation’s Committee Against Torture (CAT) to bring attention to the issue of human rights abuses in Northern Ireland by British forces. By doing so, they were able to improve the laws, practices and human rights conditions in the country.

Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/en/InternationalMonitoringBodies

4. Targeting silence and impunity that allows police or other forces to torture

• The Netherlands: Targeting the Torturer from Outside. Amnesty International-Netherlands used text-messages
• United States: Targeting Impunity. targeting perpetrators of torture as they seek to travel to or settle in the United States.

Targeting the Torturer

Amnesty International has an extensive network of people who respond to urgent action appeals when they learn that someone has been arrested and is endanger of being tortured. Amnesty International-Netherlands used text-messaging technology to attract new—and especially young members—build awareness of the campaign against torture and respond even more quickly to cases of torture.
Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/SendingOutanSMS

Targeting Impunity

The Center for Justice & Accountability in the United States works with survivors, survivor communities, human rights organizations, and torture treatment centers throughout the USA and around the world to help torture survivors seek legal remedies for their injuries. In 1994 the U.S. Congress adopted the Alien Torts Claim Act, a law making torture, wherever and by whomever committed, a crime that can be prosecuted in US courts. CJA has been instrumental in using civil suits against human rights abusers to hold them accountable.
Link to Case: http://www.newtactics.org/Reparations

Nigeria: Using the tactical map for other issues

The Forum for Imo NGOs (FINGO), in Nigeria availed of a New Tactic microgrant to bring together 18 representatives from FINGO to explore two issues important to their organizations: Widowhood practices and trafficking of women and children.

Link to Examples: http://www.newtactics.org/TraininginPractice/Microgrants/Highlight-TacticalMapping

• Tactical Map of Widowhood Practices

• Tactical Map of Trafficking of Women and Children

Asia Regional Training Workshop Tactical Mapping

Participants at the New Tactics Asia Regional Training Workshop (5 to 11 August in Chiang Mai, Thailand) practiced using and applying the tactical mapping tool. One individual mapped the relationship between police and citizens. One of the small groups took the general issue of violence against women and mapped the relationships as these applied to Vietnam. These examples can help to provide additional ideas for how you might use and apply the tactical mapping tool to your human rights issue.

Using the tactical map for YOUR human rights issue

Take a moment to identify a human rights issue that you would like to try mapping with this tool.

• Please be aware that the issue does not have to involve a victim and a perpetrator. If it does, place that relationship in the center.

Using the following figure:

Identify who or what is at the center in the “box.” Then identify the relationships (people), organizations or institutions that may be closest to the center.

• Now you are ready to identify the relationships, organizations or institutions that are further from the center but still have an impact on the human rights issue. Continue until you feel you’ve identified them all.
• Ask your colleagues to help you identify all the actors involved.
• Use arrows to show direct relationships. You may want to use different colors or types of arrows for noting direct and indirect relationships.

Use the New Tactics database

You can find many more case examples of the successful way in which human rights advocates and defenders have been able to get results regarding their issues.

The New Tactics database makes it easy for you to search for these case examples and get ideas of how you can move your issue forward.

You can search the database (http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/database) by using:
• Key words (such as women, children, torture, violence, racism, etc.)
• Types of intervention (such as prevention, intervention, promotion, restoration, etc.)
• Regions of the world
• Countries
• Even by organizational names