In the framework of a joint APT - Council of Europe 'NPM project', a one day expert meeting to discuss possible self-assessment tools for National Preventive Mechanisms (NPM) took place in Geneva on 31 March. It gathered 15 participants from the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), representatives from the French and Maldivian NPMs, APT consultants and staff. Based on a draft analytical tool developed by APT in coordination with TC-Team Consult, the meeting provided for a fruitful brainstorming on elements to include in a possible self-assessment tool for NPMs.
Such a tool is meant to go beyond OPCAT requirements and propose concrete criteria for NPMs' effective functioning. The representatives of the two NPMs also gave interesting presentations on their experience of setting up and developing their work on prevention of torture at the domestic level. This meeting represents the beginning of a process to further develop a self-assessment tool, in close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, that will be tested in upcoming APT activities with NPMs.