30 National dialogue The first meeting of the advisory committee took place on 17 June 2014. The committee members gave input in a range of areas, including the prioritisation of visits, the scope of the prevention mandate and the methodology for unannounced visits. Several members commented on the focus areas in different sectors, such as psychiatric health care, immigration and the justice sector. The NPM also received proposals regarding how the committee can contribute to its work, for example in connection with follow-up of the NPM’s recommendations. The second advisory committee meeting was held on 24 September 2014. At the meeting, the NPM briefed the advisory committee on its visit to Tromsø prison in September and the open meeting in Tromsø. The committee members also discussed risk factors associated with police custody and challenges linked to custody facility visits. The NPM received information about the Ombudsman for Children’s main project for the period 2014–2015, which is examining the use of force against children and young people in the child welfare and ­psychiatric health care contexts. At the committee meeting on 17 December 2014, the NPM gave a briefing on its preliminary findings from and experiences gained through the five visits made in the autumn of 2014, and outlined its plans for 2015. The committee members then shared their expertise on the use of force in the context of psychiatric health care. The committee commented particularly on what the NPM should focus on when it begins visiting psychiatric institutions in 2015. The NPM has also been in regular contact with the advisory committee between committee meetings, and the members have shared information and provided feedback on prevention efforts. Four meetings of the advisory committee are planned for 2015. Conferences, courses and training The Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged a joint human rights conference on 28 October 2014. The conference language was English, and the conference title was “The Effects of International Monitoring Mechanisms to Prevent Torture and Ill-Treatment of Persons Deprived of their Liberty”. The conference also marked the 25-year anniversary of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The purpose of the conference was to learn from the Norway’s National Preventive Mechanism – Annual Report 2014 experiences of some of the world’s leading experts on the monitoring of conditions faced by persons deprived of their liberty, and to discuss their work in the Norwegian context. The conference considered a range of questions, including: What is required for criticism and recommendations from international monitoring mechanisms to result in real change for persons deprived of their liberty? How can different monitoring mechanisms be better coordinated to strengthen implementation of international human rights obligations at the national level? What effect have international recommendations had on persons deprived of their liberty in Norway? How are the authorities implementing the recommendations? How useful are the recommendations to non-governmental organisations and others working with and for persons deprived of their liberty? The aim was to facilitate broad debate between international experts, representatives of the Norwegian authorities, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, academics and civil society representatives. Some 170 delegates registered for the conference. A more detailed report on the conference and the speakers’ presentations can be found on the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s website. In 2014, the NPM held a number of lectures for relevant expert institutions and professional groups. These include lectures to new trainees and prison officers at the Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy (24 February and 22 August), a lecture at a theme night on isolation at the University of Bergen Faculty of Law (7 May), a lecture at a specialist meeting for legal professionals at the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service, eastern Norway region (2 June), and a lecture at a seminar on preventive detention at the Norwegian Joint Staff College (18–20 August). In addition, a member of the NPM’s staff gave lectures on “Health, Human Rights and Detention” at four hospitals in New York, organised by Weill Cornell Medical College (27–28 October). NPM staff also attended various seminars and specialist conferences during the year as part of the NPM’s information and outreach work as well as for professional development. They had opportunities to present the prevention mandate and the work of the NPM, and received valuable input and information. Among the conferences the NPM attended were the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service and Norwegian Directorate of Health’s joint conference on prison health services (26–27 May), the International Commission of Jurists’ seminar on isolation and police custody facilities (30 October), the Control Commission Conference (20–21 November), and the Hamar conference on force, human rights and ethics (26–27 November).