Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recommended that Austria should undertake additional measures to “protect women, men, girls and boys with disabilities against exploitation, violence and abuse”. The NPM therefore welcomes the fact that in November 2014 the National Council adopted parliamentary resolution 94/A(E) and tasked the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection to have a research study done on “Measures against violence and sexual abuse of persons with disabilities in institutions and facilities” . The NPM will be glad to participate in this study and contribute the experience from its monitoring activity. Up to now, there have not been any scientific research studies in Austria that address the specific risk factors of institutional settings in institutions and facilities for persons with disabilities. The study is supposed to be completed by 2016. prevention of violence It has been repeatedly emphasised in international research papers that dismantling large-scale institutions and a consistent reorientation toward aid in the form of personal assistance and offerings within the socio-spatial sphere as the core piece of disability policies that conform to human rights principles per se also prevent violence. In order to get this process going in Austria as well, declarations of intent in government programmes are not the only thing that is needed. What would be necessary is the uncompromising determination of politicians and transparent plans and concepts with concrete time horizons directed toward this result. In 2013, the competent UN expert committee criticised the “inappropriate fragmentation” of Austrian policies on persons with disabilities and demanded a joint political management, which is committed to the goals of the UN CRPD, of all measures in order to implement the obligations as defined in the convention. Austria-wide there are an estimated 21,000 people with disabilities participating in special types of work in sheltered workshops. This is where the jungle of subsidies on the cusp between Federal Government and Laender opens up, which has already been criticised by the Austrian Court of Auditors which neither helps improve the permeability between first and third job markets nor enables a needs-based coordination, planning and management of offerings and assistance. End the fragmentation of the areas of competence In other words, there is still significant need for improvement and a substantial amount of catching up to do. The NPM would like to explicitly emphasise here that the good cooperation and communication with representatives of residents of institutions and facilities and self-advocates, as well as a dialogue with owner/operator organisations and public authorities, which can be very constructive, are important for its work. The NPM would like to express its gratitude for this, including on behalf of the commissions. 70 Cooperation with stakeholders essential