CAT/C/54/2
VI. Looking forward
97.
In 2014, the Subcommittee continued to modify and review its methodologies and
working practices as it endeavoured to better fulfil its mandate and increase outreach
efficaciously. The changes made thus far have been promising, having not only increased
the Subcommittee’s capacity to engage with States parties, NPMs and other stakeholders
but also facilitated enhancement of the Subcommittee’s responsiveness, adding vigour to its
efforts. While the Subcommittee recognizes that adjusting its working methods and
approaches to be able to dispose successfully of its functions under article 11 of the
Optional Protocol is a continuing process, it fully understands and appreciates that the
utilization of its expertise and experience should be balanced with the core principles of
confidentiality, impartiality, non-selectivity, universality and objectivity, as set out in
article 2, paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol.
The continuing challenge with resources
98.
The Subcommittee notes, with appreciation, the changes incorporated into General
Assembly resolution 68/268 in order to better reflect and provide for the distinct operational
needs of the Subcommittee. Nonetheless, it wishes to draw attention to the fact that the
resolution does not provide for any significant overall increase in capacity, but rather
merely mainstreams the ad hoc support currently provided by extrabudgetary means
through the generosity of some States parties. The Subcommittee understands the
significance of that extra resourcing through the regular budget and it is greatly appreciative
of it. Nevertheless, the blunt truth is that while the Subcommittee has the greatest backlog
of work within the treaty body system it has not received, within this strengthening process,
the direct additional support required to enable it to significantly increase the number of its
visits.
99.
Much of the mandate and work of the Subcommittee is focused on providing States
parties and NPMs with advice and assistance, that is, with capacity-building in order to
prevent torture and ill-treatment. The Subcommittee therefore strongly believes that it
should be able to benefit from the extra provision for capacity-building measures that the
General Assembly, in its resolution 68/268, called upon the Secretary-General to provide
through OHCHR. The Subcommittee therefore looks forward in 2015 and beyond to seeing
a meaningful increase in its operational capacity to undertake its capacity-building work, as
set out in the Optional Protocol and as called for and provided for in resolution 68/268.
100. While the Subcommittee recognizes the need to work within the budget made
available to it, and has sought to change its working methodology conscious of that fact, it
wishes to emphasize that the Subcommittee as a treaty body is designed, in accordance with
the Optional Protocol, to operate in a vastly different manner to its counterparts within the
treaty body system. In that regard, the Subcommittee reiterates that it requires additional
human and other resources to adequately deliver its mandate, and acknowledges that the
additional professional member of staff in the Subcommittee secretariat financially
supported by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Junior
Professional Officers provided by Hungary during 2014 were vital to the work of the
Subcommittee during this period. The welcome increase in the number of States parties to
the Optional Protocol and of NPMs operating within its framework makes such resourcing
all the more urgent. The Subcommittee would like to invite the States parties to the
Optional Protocol to consider providing such additional resourcing so that the work of the
Subcommittee may be conducted more fully and efficaciously.
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