CAT/C/42/2 page 5 • Budgetary resources limiting preventive visits to three or four per year, meaning that the SPT would visit a State party once every twelve to fifteen years • No budget provision at all for direct work with national preventive mechanisms, although this is the uniquely important new feature of the OPCAT • Lack of staff and lack of staff continuity to support this specialized work, resulting in the SPT working with twelve different individual staff members on the six visits carried out to date 5. The SPT regrets to have to report that, for as long as the current support situation remains unchanged, it will not be able to discharge its duties fully under the mandate. II. MANDATE OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PREVENTION OF TORTURE A. Objectives of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture 6. Article 1 of the OPCAT provides for a system of regular visits by mechanisms at the international and national level to prevent torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The SPT conceives this system as an interlocking network of mechanisms carrying out visits and other related functions under their preventive mandates in cooperation with each other. Good relations and communications between the visiting bodies working at different levels need to be developed and maintained in order to avoid duplication and to use scarce resources to best effect. The SPT has a mandate to engage directly with other visiting mechanisms, both at the international and national levels. During the reporting period it has continued to seek ways to promote synergy among those working in the field of prevention. B. Key features of the mandate of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture 7. The mandate of the SPT is set out in the OPCAT in article 11.5 This establishes that the SPT shall: 5 (a) Visit places where people are or may be deprived of liberty; (b) In regard to national preventive mechanisms (NPMs): (i) Advise and assist States parties, when necessary, in their establishment; (ii) Maintain direct contact with NPMs and offer them training and technical assistance; advise and assist NPMs in evaluating the needs and necessary means to improve safeguards against ill-treatment; and make necessary recommendations and observations to States parties with a view to strengthening the capacity and mandate of NPMs; Part III “Mandate of the Subcommittee on Prevention”.