Thematic and visit reports NPMs can establish policies on publicizing visit reports (or parts thereof), and thematic reports, including the main findings and recommendations. EXAMPLE OF AN NPM THEMATIC REPORT In December 2016, the Norwegian NPM – the Parliamentary Ombudsman – published its first thematic report under its OPCAT mandate, on “Women in prison”. The report is a summary of the NPM’s findings on female inmates made during its visits to high security prisons between 2014 and 2016. The report addresses key issues relating to the conditions of women in prison, including physical conditions, security, regime activities, health services and contact with families in Norway. For more information: Norwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman Annual Report 2016. Reports to/from human rights bodies NPMs should contribute to the reports submitted by States to the United Nations55 Treaty Bodies and regional bodies pursuant to the States’ reporting obligations under relevant treaties, and to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Human Rights Council.56 NPMs can also submit their own reports, expressing opinions on issues relevant to prevention of torture and ill-treatment, in accordance with their independent status. The Committee against Torture (CAT) receives information from NPMs at various stages of the reporting process under the Convention against Torture and may meet with them during the session at which it examines the report of the country concerned. Since 2015, the Committee has offered NPMs the opportunity to attend private plenary meetings. NPMs can engage in the following stages of the reporting process: uusubmission of written information for the list of issues prior to reporting; uusubmission of written information for the examination of the States parties’ reports; uuparticipation in briefings and NPMs’ briefings with the Committee; and uusubmission of written information concerning the follow-up to the recommendations made in the Committee’s concluding observations.57 In addition to the Committee against Torture, NPMs can also engage in the reporting procedures of other United Nations treaty bodies by submitting written information or participating in NGO/NHRI briefings with them.58 55 Human Rights Committee (HRCttee), Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), Committee against Torture (CAT), Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW), Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED). 56 See, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx. 57 More information about the procedure, deadlines and participation in the Committee’s sessions can be found on the web page of the Committee against Torture: www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CAT/Pages/NGOsNHRIs.aspx. 58 More information about NGO and NHRI participation in the reporting process can be found on the OHCHR website: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/Pages/TreatyBodies.aspx. 32 I PREVENTING TORTURE: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS – A PRACTICAL GUIDE