v Acknowledgments � This publication was made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation, to whom we express our deep appreciation for their generous support. The Center would also like to thank the Open Society Foundation Human Rights Initiative and the Oak Foundation for their support of the AntiTorture Initiative. Many people have been involved in brining this volume to fruition over the past months. We are grateful to the more than 20 article authors who contributed their perspectives and expertise to expand upon the former United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan E. Méndez’s thematic report on torture and ill-treatment through a gender perspective. Their deep commit­ ment is inspiring and their important contributions have enriched the ongoing debates outlined in this work. Special thanks to the skilled editing team of Vidya Dindiyal, Ana Dionne-Lanier, Cynthia Park, Maleeha Riaz, Zuleika Rivera, and Christine Vlasic who reviewed all or part of the texts at various stages as well as their support of the Anti-Torture Initiative. A special thanks to Chase Dunn, and Imani Cherry for their assistance during final reviews of the articles. In addition, we would like to thank Monette Zard for her vital research and support in drafting the thematic report on the applicability of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in international law to the unique experiences of women, girls, and lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. We would also like to thank Bill Novak, Julie Ahalt, Lori Schulman, Dawn Winter-Haines, and HBP, Inc. for overseeing the layout and design of the publication; Cathy Prather, and Michael Scher of the WCL Finance Department; and Melissa del Aguila, Anastassia Fagan, and Sofia Auzmendi of WCL’s Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, for their continued support and assistance. The Center is profoundly grateful to Andra Nicolescu, former Assistant Director of the ATI, for her leadership in launching this volume by selecting and reviewing the articles and coordinating and communication with the authors. Finally, the Center would like to thank Vanessa Drummond, Assistant Project Director of the ATI, for coordinating the editing team, reviewing articles, and liais­ ing with authors and publishers. This volume could not have been completed without their efforts. Finally, we would like to dedicate this book in memory of Khalid Khalid, beloved colleague and friend, who dedicated over twenty years of his life in service of American University Washington College of Law. His support for the Center and its work was steadfast and deeply appreciated. Disclaimer The ideas, opinions, and conclusions expressed in this volume are those of the authors only, and do not necessarily represent the views of the American University Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, the United Nations, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Ford Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, or the Oak Foundation.