International activities Gambia, the Cayman Islands, South Africa, Ukraine and Hungary were also able to attend. In November 2013, the training format “Sharpening Your Teeth” developed by the Ombudsman of Ontario took place in Zambia with the support of the IOI. This training offers special skills for performing systemic investigative proceedings and with reference to the French-speaking ombudsman community in the IOI’s African region - was held in both English and French. The funds obtained from the IOI membership contributions were also used to subsidize regional projects organised by the IOI member institutions. In 2013, seven regional project proposals supported with a total of EUR 45,000, passed the IOI’s selection process. The funds made available can thus be used for ambitious projects in the next two years. In Europe, the Ombudsman institution of Latvia will initiate an information campaign against human trafficking; the Ombudsman of Northern Ireland will develop human rights standards as benchmarks for its work and the Children‘s Ombudsman of Ireland is planning to create guidelines for child-friendly administration. The focus in Asia is on increasing awareness and on information: The Ombudsmen of the Punjab and Sindh regions in Pakistan will concentrate on increasing the level of public awareness of their institutions and attempt to build stronger awareness of women’s and children’s rights. In North America, the Ombudswoman of the City of Toronto is writing a manual for evaluating the effects of investigative proceedings, which will also be applicable beyond the region’s borders. In Australasia and the Pacific regions a starter kit will be developed to help new Ombudsman in their roles in performing their mandate. Support for regional projects 4.2 International organisations and conferences Austria must report regularly to the United Nations regarding the measures taken to meet its obligations based on the conventions it has ratified. As National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), the AOB regularly takes the opportunity to make statements regarding whether and how Austria meets its obligations under international human rights conventions. UN country reports During the official country review regarding compliance with the UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities, Ombudsman Kräuter pointed out defects and deficits in the treatment of persons with disabilities in a statement before the responsible UN Committee (Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – CRPD) in Geneva. CRPD Before the evaluation of the Austrian country report in respect of the implementation of the UN Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the responsible UN Committee (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - CESCR) in November 2013, the AOB as NHRI released a statement in which it informed the CESCR 53