4. N  ational and international cooperation14 An important element of the operation and development of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture is the participation of its representatives in various events on the national and international levels. This way, the NMPT emphasizes its role as a  body that protects the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, as well as gains new experience as a result of cooperating with other entities operating in this area. In April, the Polish Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights together with the NMPT’s staff member took part in a conference for representatives of local governments and youth care centres. In his speech, the Commissioner presented the main issues relating to youth care centres and monitored by the CHR, as well as systemic problems which need to be regulated by the law. At the CHR Office a meeting was held of the NMPT’s representative with members of the Penitentiary Group of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź. In the meeting, the students and accompanying academic teachers had an opportunity to learn about the Polish system of prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In August, representatives of the NMPT took part in a working meeting in the Ministry of Justice, devoted to legislative changes relating to the application of medicines to minors. The discussion focused on the problem of insufficient regulation of the issue of application of medicines to minors, which problem had been raised at the beginning of 2016 by the Patients Ombudsman. In October, the NMPT Department employees held a  meeting with patients’ ombudsmen from psychiatric hospitals. During the meeting, the NMPT representatives presented the legal bases, methodology and objectives of the preventive visits conducted in psychiatric hospitals. They also emphasized the significance of the NMPT ‘s cooperation with psychiat14 More information on the NPM’s activity on the national and international arenas is available on the NPM website under the tabs NPM’s national cooperation and NPM’s international cooperation. 14