International activities and explained her position on measures that could improve the situation of prisoners. Representatives of states and NGOs discussed possibilities to improve protection of prisoners and detainees awaiting trial with the goal of developing best practice examples in order to deal with existing challenges, such as the increasing use of pre-trial detention. Ombudswoman Gertrude Brinek took advantage of her stay in Geneva to present the English version of the Publication “Young people and their rights” upon the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. A working group of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) on the subject of “Protection of the rights of persons with disabilities” organised the first meeting ever between representatives of national human rights institutions and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is responsible for compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At this meeting, the participants, including an expert from the AOB, were able to report directly to the competent UN committee about the challenges associated with monitoring at the national level; they also pointed out the importance of the role played by the UN committee to support the process. NHRIs meet with CRPD in Geneva In December 2014, Ombudswoman Gertrude Brinek met with experts from the Justice Section of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The topics during this meeting focused on legal support during preliminary proceedings and pre-trial detention, prison management – primarily treatment of women and youth – criminality and the possibility of preventing children and adolescents from engaging in criminal behaviour. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 4.2.2 Council of Europe AOB experts again actively participated in several events organised by the Council of Europe in 2014. In April, Ombudsman Günther Kräuter, in his function as Chairperson of the AOB, was one of the speakers at an expert conference on the topic of “Human rights and disabilities”. The goal of the conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection under the auspices of the Austrian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe was to present political perspectives and legal instruments of the Council of Europe and the United Nations. Representatives from member states, international organisations, the scientific community, ombudsman institutions and civil society pointed out how important it is for persons with disabilities to participate independently in social, professional and political life. Expert conference on human rights and disabilities Collaboration between the Council of Europe, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET) and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions Workshop on asylum and migration 21