National Preventive Mechanism 4 Monitoring framework, methodology and further action by the NPM 4.1 Preamble Under the Austrian Federal Constitution, the Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB), together with its commissions, is charged with the responsibilities of a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) in accordance with the UN Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT), as well as with the monitoring and control of institutions, facilities and programmes in accordance with the UN CRPD, and with the monitoring and concomitant examining of authorities empowered to exercise direct administrative power and coercive measures. 4.2 Goals and basic principles The goal is to protect and promote human rights, including but not limited to the regular, seamless and generally unannounced monitoring and control of institutions and facilities where persons are or can be deprived of liberty, as well as of institutions, facilities and programmes for persons with disabilities and of the exercise of coercive measures by authorities empowered by the State. The benchmark for the fulfilment of the responsibilities of the NPM, are all the standards and principles developed to protect human rights under the provisions of both, international and Austrian law. The joint work of the NPM is based on the following guiding principles: “Quality before quantity”: The preventive activity of the NPM serves to protect against violations of and intrusions into human rights. “Prevention” is defined as measures and strategies to minimise risks and anticipatory action to protect human rights. Therefore, the improvement of general quality standards is not a central responsibility of monitoring and control activities. The focus on preventive monitoring and control to protect against violations of human rights determines the core activities of targeted, unannounced visits in selected facilities and institutions and of confidence-building communication on-site with persons in all roles. Understanding of prevention “Priorities and topics”: Fundamentally, the visits by the commissions are oriented towards concrete priorities and topics of monitoring and control that are understood as “guidelines rather than rigid rules”. The size and composition of the commission delegations are based on the defined priorities and the topics chosen by the commissions, as well as the number and planned duration of visits and observations. Preserving the necessary flexibility, for example during general initial visits or in the event of unexpected impressions 95