National Preventive Mechanism National Action Plan on Disability 2012-2020 as quickly as possible. There is also still no agreement between the Federal Government, the Laender and the municipalities to make the change in paradigm demanded in the CRPD – i.e. from a medical to a social model of disability – the basis of government action on all levels and to do justice to the recommendations of the CRPD Committee. NGO Forum Approximately 110 representatives from human rights NGOs, the Federal Ministries and the Laender took part in the 3rd NGO Forum of the AOB, which took place on 4 July 2016. The topics of “Disability and poverty”, “Disability and living/working” were, among others, the focus of debate. The CRPD sees the right to self-determination not only as defensive right but also as including positive obligations of the state to offer support. Inclusion cannot function when stereotypes and prejudice characterise the image of persons with disabilities, whose situation can be perceived as a marginal group phenomenon at the best. The CRPD unequivocally demands the departure from role clichés and one-sided, discriminatory and a reality-distorting presentation of persons with disabilities. Not only politics but also the media are responsible for the way in which society is informed about persons with disabilities. Study: persons with disabilities in Austrian mass media The NPM was involved in the preparation of the annual study 2015-2016 on “Persons with disabilities in Austrian mass media”. This included a financial contribution as well in order to initiate a discussion process on a broad base. This initiative is also in line with the recommendation of the CRPD Committee “to seize initiatives for creating awareness in order to effectively change the outdated charity model in the area of disability and the perception that persons with disabilities require protection”. Inclusion needs raising awareness The results of the media analysis, which have been available since January 2017, are sobering in general. The medial presentation of persons with disabilities is somewhere between sympathy, admiration and ignorance. Persons with disabilities are severely under-represented in mass media. Just one percent of reporting is dedicated to disability-related topics. The AOB and its cooperation with the public television channel ORF are an exception here. Under the general perception threshold, focal topics such as heteronomy are approached by the mass media via legal guardianship or personal assistance as an alternative to accommodation in facilities. Questions surrounding the financial securing and affordable barrier-free accessible living, which are of considerable relevance for persons with disabilities, are not dealt with in the media. In general, a great amount of effort is required to draw attention to the many types of discrimination of persons with disabilities. The NPM will make its contribution to this. Missing barrier-free accessibility As in the previous years, the commissions visited facilities for persons with disabilities in 2016 in which the lack of barrier-free accessibility gave rise to complaints. It is obvious that this results in massive restrictions in autonomy of 154