22 4.5. Participation of the civil sector in activities of the NPM In order to perform activities of the NPM, the Protector of Citizens concluded cooperation agreements with nine associations: Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, Victimology Society of Serbia, dialogue – Valjevo, International Aid Network (IAN), the Committee for Human Rights – Valjevo, the Initiative for the Rights of Persons with mental disabilities (MDRI-S), the Lawyers Committee for Human rights (YUCOM), the Helsinki Committee for Human rights in Serbia and the Centre for Human rights – Niš. Concluded agreements foresee that each association had assumed the obligation to participate in monitoring the status of persons deprived of their liberty in particular areas of the NPM operations, some in certain types of institutions (police stations, detention institution, prison, psychiatric hospitals, residential social care institutions, centers for asylum and shelter for foreigners) and some in relation to particularly vulnerable groups (minors, women, persons with disabilities). During the reporting period, representatives of nine organizations the agreements on cooperation in performing duties of the NPM were concluded with had actively participated, in accordance with the NPM methodology, in visits to detention institutions, in the preparation of reports and recommendations, as well as in the dialogue with the visited institutions and relevant ministries. In addition to the associations with whom the agreements on cooperation were concluded, in the performing duties of the NPM other associations were also actively involved. The associations of former convicts “Libertas” took a significant part in participation in the activities of the NPM and especially associations of users of psychiatric services “Duša” (“Soul”). During 2013 the NPM began conducting thematic visits “Monitoring persons deprived of their liberty with motor, sensory and mental problems in the penitentiary system of Serbia”, with the participation of associations of the Center for Human Rights in Niš and Dialog-Valjevo. During the reporting period, the NPM had participated in numerous projects of the civil society organizations with which it cooperates in the field of prevention of ill-treatment. Through the project “Program for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture,” which was conducted by Association of International Aid Network (IAN), a seminar on “Institutions and freedom – the process of de-institutionalization and experiences from Italy” was organized as well as the conference “Prevention of torture and rehabilitation of victims,” while through the project “Together against torture” with the mentioned association, the NPM had participated in the consultations for the development of the Platform on cooperation and the role of civil society organizations in the performance of the NPM and the organization of the seminar “The role of the civil society organizations and experts in the performance of the NPM – Experiences and challenges.” Within the project “Together against torture”, the NPM had participated in debates about torture and the NPM, which were organized for students and residents of Roma neighborhood. With the Association of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, NPM was involved in the projects“Strengthening the NPM and advocating the rights of institutionalized persons”and“Penitentiary reform in Serbia 2012-2013”. Within these projects two study visits were organized to Netherlands for the employees of the NPM, training programs were provided for staff in closed institutions in Niš, Belgrade and Novi Sad on the topic “The role and importance of NPM in the prevention of torture”, as well as the conference “Cooperation between civil society and the state in the process of de-institutionalization”. In cooperation with the association Initiative of persons with mental disabilities (MDRI-S) held a seminar on “The role of various agents in the field of monitoring and protecting the rights of children with disabilities and adults with disabilities in closed institutions.”