This Guide aims to assist both States planning to establish or seeking to strengthen their NPMs, as well as the staff of the NPMs themselves. It should also be useful to experts and professionals involved in the prevention and combating of torture, civil society organizations and the general public. The publication builds on the recommendations of the SPT relating to NPMs, which are contained in the SPT’s reports on country visits undertaken as part of its mandate,5 as well as key SPT documents on NPMs: SPT guidelines on National Preventive Mechanisms (CAT/OP/12/5), SPT analytical assessment tool for National Preventive Mechanisms (CAT/OP/1/Rev.1) and the SPT NPM matrix. These documents are annexed to the Guide. The Guide was developed in the context of the Office of the United Nations High Commisssioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme, established by General Assembly Resolution 68/268 to support States parties in building their capacity to implement their treaty obligations, in this case, their obligations under the Optional Protocol. 5 http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/Outline.aspx. 2 I PREVENTING TORTURE: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS – A PRACTICAL GUIDE