Question 7: Where can States obtain technical assistance to establish or ensure the effective functioning of National Preventive Mechanisms? The establishment and effective functioning of NPMs requires expertise and resources. States can request technical assistance from the OHCHR Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme (TBCBP), OHCHR field presences and the OPCAT Special Fund. OHCHR and SPT members have, at the request of States, conducted national training courses on the ratification of the Optional Protocol, the Convention against Torture, on NPMs and related matters. OHCHR field presences have provided advice on legislation establishing NPMs, the selection process for members, collaboration with the authorities and civil society, and other issues. Additionally, the OPCAT Special Fund annually provides limited grants for projects implementing recommendations contained in the SPT public visit reports, aimed at the establishment or strengthening of existing NPMs (see the section on Technical Assistance – OPCAT Special Fund for more details). States and other entities are encouraged to financially contribute to the OPCAT Special Fund to support national torture prevention activities world-wide. The Fund relies entirely on voluntary contributions.25 © UN Photo/Victoria Hazou 25 http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Fund/Pages/Governance.aspx. 12 I PREVENTING TORTURE: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS – A PRACTICAL GUIDE