16.  It is worth pointing out once again here that in exercising the functions attributed to it under law as Spain’s National Preventive Mechanism against Torture the Ombudsman becomes an actor on the international stage. Accordingly, the reports issued by the Office of the Ombudsman in its role as NPM are not destined solely for the Spanish parliament, for which the Ombudsman is a High Commissioner under Article 54 of the Spanish constitution. This annual report, and any special reports that may be drawn up in the exercise of these particular functions, are also submitted to the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture in Geneva (referred to hereinafter as the SPT). This annual report is 17. The specific relationship of the Spanish Ombudsman with the SPT is based not only exchanges of information whenever either party so requests, but also on the formal presentation of the Annual Report 2010 by the Ombudsman at the SPT’s headquarters in Geneva on February 21st 2012. The SPT does not always convene all the NPMs that have drawn up annual reports, but it decided to do so in the case of Spain. At the request of the SPT, 18.  An analysis of the degree to which the prevention of torture is institutionalised around the world at this moment reveals an unflattering picture. This is backed up by the facts and figures: of the 193 states that make up the United Nations, 71 have signed the OPCAT and only 62 have ratified it. The current status after signing a ratification process can be summed up as follows: Of the 193 states that make submitted to the Spanish parliament and to the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) the Annual Report 2010 was presented at its headquarters in Geneva (Switzerland) on February 21, 2012 up the UN, 71 have signed the OPCAT and only 62 have ratified it Table 13. Signing and ratification of the OPCAT Signed but not ratified Ratified Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, South Africa & Zambia Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Lebanon, Liberia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, D. R. of the Congo, Senegal, Togo & Tunisia America Venezuela Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru & Uruguay Asia Timor Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan & Turkey Europe Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Norway & Portugal Albania, Germany, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, France, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, UK, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland & Ukraine Oceania Australia New Zealand Africa THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN   29