A/65/273 various specialized institutions in the field of torture prevention and from the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and OHCHR for the process of setting up national preventive mechanisms. The Special Rapporteur has continuously offered his assistance in this regard and encourages States to further avail themselves of the mandate. As the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture has indicated, the development of a national preventive mechanism “should be considered an ongoing obligation, with reinforcement of formal aspects and working methods refined and improved incrementally”. 1 In that regard, the adoption, as in Costa Rica and Maldives, of clear and ambitious action plans defining the goals and strategies of the national preventive mechanism is useful. VI. Conclusions and recommendations 87. Although torture constitutes one of the most brutal human rights violations and a direct attack on the core of human dignity, it continues to be widely practised in the majority of States in all parts of the world. This alarming conclusion of the Special Rapporteur on torture is based on his experience after carrying out the mandate for almost six years, and after conducting 17 factfinding missions to countries in all regions of the world and preparing three joint studies together with other special procedures mandate holders. 88. While the appalling conditions of detention in most countries of the world could be effectively addressed by adopting a special United Nations convention on the rights of detainees, no further standard setting is required to combat torture. Its prohibition is one of the few absolute and non-derogable human rights and part of ius cogens, and the Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol contain a broad range of very specific positive State obligations aimed at preventing and combating torture. If States parties to the Convention and the Optional Protocol would abide by their legally binding obligations, torture could easily be eradicated. 89. In order to combat increasing levels of crime, terrorism and other forms of organized crime effectively, Governments in too many countries seem willing to restrict certain human rights by granting their law enforcement, intelligence and security forces very extensive powers. This leads to an environment conducive to undermining the absolute prohibition of torture. The brutalization of many societies has reached a level where torture is simply regarded by Governments and the population at large as the “lesser evil”. This trend is alarming. There is a need for a new global awareness-raising campaign to change this climate of tolerance towards excessive use of force by law enforcement officials. Governments need to be reminded that torture is not an effective means of combating crime. On the contrary, it contributes to the further brutalization of societies and the spiral of violence which many societies suffer from. Torture is nothing other than an act of barbarism. 90. Impunity is one of the root causes of the widespread practice of torture. This was recognized by the international community in the 1980s when adopting the Convention against Torture as the first human rights treaty with detailed obligations to criminalize torture, to establish broad jurisdictional __________________ 1 22 CAT/C/40/2, para. 28 (n). 10-48049