Why is communication important for NPMs?

First, communication can help NPMs achieve their objectives to promote change in places of detention. This can include raising public awareness of particular issues and helping foster the political will needed to bring about change. Communication in relation to NPM objectives in detention goes hand in hand with dialogue with the authorities. 

Second, effective communication underpins how NPMs are viewed and understood by others. It can help establish the NPM’s reputation and create trust. This can be achieved by communicating about the NPM mandate, powers and methods of work. But it will also happen more subtly, through the overall tone and content of NPM communications and via the ways and times it chooses to communicate. 

When preparing a communication strategy, NPMs should keep in mind that communication takes time and resources and that communicating about everything they do is likely to be less effective than communicating in a focused manner to achieve specific objectives.