Ex-post control In 2014, the AOB had a total of 73 permanent positions in the federal personnel budget (2013: 73 permanent positions). This means that the AOB is the smallest supreme body of the Republic of Austria. With part-time staff, persons working reduced weekly hours, administrative internships and staff posted from other local and regional authorities, 90 persons on average are working at the AOB. The 48 members of the six commissions, as well as the 34 members and substitute members of the Human Rights Advisory Council of the AOB do not count as AOB staff members. 73 permanent positions 1.3 Projects 1.3.1 National Action Plan for Human Rights In its work programme 2013–2018, the Austrian Federal Government has set the objective of strengthening its commitment to human rights and the rule of law. To this end, a National Action Plan for Human Rights is set to be resolved in accordance with the previous governmental accord, which places the existing action plans in the human rights area within a joint framework and adds to them in collaboration with the AOB. In May 2014, the AOB invited 292 NGOs and the three human rights institutes that are active in Austria, as well as representatives of the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs to a kick-off event. The purpose of this meeting was to inform civil society about this government project and to include it in the process early on. A communication platform was set up on the AOB website and all of the proposals made by NGOs for projects to be concretely realised by 2018 were published. They will be systematically compiled by the AOB based on the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Likewise, all recommendations addressed to Austria by international human rights bodies, as well as suggestions for projects by individual Federal Ministries and Laender will be compiled according to topic. This preliminary work is the foundation, which will provide the basis for the consultation process within which the future content of the National Action Plan for Human Rights will be discussed, developed and determined. Representatives of the Federal Government, the AOB and civil society – the latter in an advisory capacity – form a consultation group that will prepare the next steps of the process and inform the public about it (in this regard, see also p. 38 et seq.). Integration of civil society due to the AOB 1.3.2 Visitor centre In 2014, a focal point of the Austrian Ombudsman Board’s work was to open the house more widely in order to encourage an awareness of the law and citizens’ rights and human rights education. In the new visitor centre 35