CAT/OP/MKD/2 Financial resources 17. The Subcommittee is concerned that a lack of financial resources presents a major obstacle to the sustainability of the national preventive mechanism and to its effective and efficient functioning. The designation of the Ombudsman as the national preventive mechanism of the State party has not been followed by the allocation of the appropriate additional resources necessary to allow it to undertake this additional role. The Subcommittee also notes that the continuous problem of insufficient resourcing has been regularly raised by the mechanism, including in its reports, emphasizing that only through solving the financial problem will the State party be able to create the necessary preconditions for an effective national preventive mechanism and, as such, fulfil its obligations under the Optional Protocol. 18. The Subcommittee recommends that the national preventive mechanism evaluate its financial needs to more effectively fulfil its mandate under the Optional Protocol, including the need for external experts and other staff as necessary, along with the need for staff training, and that it submit proposals to the governmental authorities concerning its financial needs, as a matter of priority. The Subcommittee draws the attention of the mechanism to its views on the organizational issues of national preventive mechanisms forming part of a national human rights institution and encourages the mechanism to continue raising the financial challenges it faces in its dialogue with the State party (see CAT/C/57/4, annex). Human resources 19. The Subcommittee is concerned that there is only one core staff member dedicated to the mandate of the national preventive mechanism, apart from the head of the mechanism and four externally funded consultants whose contracts will expire in 2019. The Subcommittee is also concerned that the autonomy of the mechanism may be compromised if it must rely on international donors to be fully functional and questions the long-term sustainability of such arrangements in relation to workplans and programmes. The Subcommittee notes with appreciation the regular involvement and engagement of representatives from civil society and external medical experts in its visits and activities. The current staffing situation, however, affects not only the ability of the mechanism to fulfil its mandate but also its functional independence and operational autonomy, and makes a systematic and strategically planned approach to its functions throughout the year challenging. The Subcommittee acknowledges the recruitment challenges and notes with appreciation the efforts made by the mechanism to mitigate them, as set out in its annual report of 2015. 20. The Subcommittee recommends that the national preventive mechanism consult directly with the States party authorities on clearly identifying the nature and extent of its needs, including ensuring that its staffing arrangements are under its own control. It also recommends that it continue to raise with the State party its need for more dedicated staff. Visibility and awareness 21. The Subcommittee noted that some of the authorities and rights holders it met with had little knowledge about the national preventive mechanism, highlighting a lack of visibility and a lack of understanding of its role and work. It appeared that persons deprived of liberty and civil society organizations did not fully understand the preventive mandate of the mechanism and its nature, as distinct from the Ombudsman. The Subcommittee is of the view that this lack of visibility as a separate institution may have a detrimental effect on the efficiency and credibility of the mechanism and therefore on the prevention of torture and ill-treatment. The Subcommittee is also concerned about the confusion between the roles of the mechanism and the Ombudsman, particularly since the Ombudsman has its own mandate to visit places of deprivation of liberty. 22. The Subcommittee recommends that the national preventive mechanism enhance its institutional visibility through public awareness campaigns and other promotional activities with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including by 5