A/71/44 D. Participation of Committee members in other meetings 10. During the period under consideration, Committee members participated in various meetings: (a) A workshop of regional and subregional courts organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), held on 20 and 21 October 2015 in Strasbourg, France, included a presentation via Skype by Ms. Gaer; (b) A regional workshop on sharing best practices and experience in preventing torture in police custody, organized by the Convention against Torture Initiative and Morocco, held on 13-15 December 2015 in Marrakesh, Morocco, was attended by Essadia Belmir and Jens Modvig; (c) A regional workshop on criminalizing torture, organized by the Convention against Torture Initiative and Ghana, held on 5 and 6 April 2016 in Accra, was attended by Mr. Modvig. E. Oral report of the Chair to the General Assembly 11. In accordance with paragraph 35 of General Assembly resolution 68/156, on 20 October 2015 the Chair of the Committee presented an oral report to and engaged in an interactive dialogue with the Assembly at its seventieth session (see the Committee web page, hosted on the website of OHCHR, www.ohchr.org). F. Activities of the Committee in connection with the Optional Protocol to the Convention 12. As at 13 May 2016, there were 81 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention (see http://treaties.un.org). As required by the Optional Protocol, on 18 November 2015, a joint meeting was held between the members of the Committee and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Committee and the Subcommittee on Prevention strengthened their cooperation through their active joint participation in a workshop on the topic of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex persons and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment. The event was facilitated by the Association for the Prevention of Torture and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. 13. An additional meeting was held on 28 April 2016 between the Committee and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention, at which the latter presented to the Committee the ninth public annual report of the Subcommittee (CAT/C/57/4). The present report surveys the work of the Subcommittee in 2015. Following a brief introduction, section II provides an update on developments relating to the Optional Protocol system, including visits, the increase in States parties and in designated national preventive mechanisms, and the operation of the Special Fund established by the Optional Protocol. Section III highlights areas of cooperation between the Subcommittee and other international and regional bodies and civil society. Section IV provides information concerning the Subcommittee’s working practices, including preliminary thoughts on some substantive issues. Section V sets out the Subcommittee’s views on prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. Section VI reflects on the Subcommittee’s 2016 programme of work and the practical challenges facing the Subcommittee as it continues to develop its work. The annex contains a compilation of advice provided by the Subcommittee in 2015 in response to requests from national preventive mechanisms. 2 GE.16-13567