57. 12 December The Human Rights Ombudsman, Vlasta Nussdorfer, and her colleagues met 2017 with the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Dr Anja Kopač Mrak, and her colleagues. The meeting was also attended by NPM member mag. Jure Markič, who emphasised numerous issues that the NPM comes across when visiting social care institutions (overcrowding of special social care institutions, the work of representatives of people with mental health problems, staffing standards, and delays in decision-making on the verification of secure departments, among other things). 58. 14 December The Ombudsman’s advisers, mag. Jure Markič and Ana Polutnik, visited Dom na 2017 Krasu (former SVZ Dutovlje) social care institution and inspected the situation in the secure department with regard to overcrowding. 59. 15 December The Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, visited the Ministry of Health to 2017 attend the presentation of the proposal of the Resolution on the National Mental Health Programme 2018–2028. 60. 15–16 At the invitation of the Council of Europe, the Deputy Ombudsman, Ivan Šelih, December attended the International Colloquium of National Preventive Mechanisms 2017 – Repositories and Practices in Hammamet, Tunisia. The event was organised in the context of a joint project by the European Union and the Council of Europe, entitled Towards Strengthened Democratic Governance in the Southern Mediterranean. In addition to representatives of the Tunisian NPM and other authorities, it was also attended by representatives of numerous other NPMs, and international mechanisms (e.g. SPT and NPM Obs). Numerous aspects of the work of the NPM were covered, including cooperation with civil society, type and duration of visits, work methods, preparation for visits, preparation of recommendations and reports, review of individual complaints, and the preventive nature of visits. Discussions also focused on establishing dialogue with the competent authorities on the implementation of recommendations, cooperation with other NPMs, and establishing connections. Ivan Šelih presented the method of implementing the duties and powers of the NPM in Slovenia, especially the Ombudsman’s cooperation with the selected non-governmental organisations. His presentation specifically focused on the attention that the NPM in Slovenia places on vulnerable groups. In 2017, it prepared the Special report on the violation of human rights of people with mental disorders with regard to involuntary placement and involuntary treatment in secure departments of social care institutions, and is currently preparing a report on the conditions for vulnerable people in custody. Special attention was also paid to the institutional care of the elderly (especially people with dementia), people with mental health disorders, adolescents, and other people with special needs. The presented experience of the NPM of Slovenia and other NPMs and organisations will help the NPM of Tunisia at the start of its work, which was also the purpose of the event. 61. 18 December The Human Rights Ombudsman, Vlasta Nussdorfer, and the Ombudsman’s 2017 adviser and member of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, met with representatives of the Krka company and the Spominčica – Alzheimer Slovenia association. 36 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2017 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT