CAT/OP/PRT/2 framework. It recommends that the mechanism take a proactive attitude and submit to the authorities a proposal to revise its institutional and structural framework within the Office of the Ombudsperson, and to submit proposals on how to secure the necessary human resources, further to a thorough internal evaluation of the level of financial resources needed to adequately fulfil its mandate under the Optional Protocol. 47. In the light of scarcity of human and financial resources available to the national preventive mechanism, the Subcommittee recommends that the mechanism also increase its international cooperation with other national preventive mechanisms to reinforce its capacities, share information and practices and develop its working methods so as to improve its ability to carry out its mandate under the Optional Protocol adequately. 48. The Subcommittee also recommends that the NPM continue to develop its capacity through increasing cooperation with the Subcommittee, as well as through engagement with other NPMs and appropriate NPM networks. 49. The Subcommittee regards its visit and the present report as the beginning of a constructive dialogue with the national preventive mechanism of Portugal. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stands ready to provide technical assistance and advice to the mechanism to reinforce its capacity to prevent torture and ill-treatment in all places of deprivation of liberty in Portugal and to make the common goal of prevention a reality. 50. The Subcommittee recalls that prevention of torture constitutes an ongoing and wideranging obligation of the State party, the likelihood of whose achievement is greatly enhanced by an efficient mechanism. The Subcommittee encourages the mechanism to review and strengthen its working methods and to avail itself of training courses to improve its ability to discharge its responsibilities under the Optional Protocol, including through the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with following up on the present recommendations. 51. The Subcommittee recommends that, in accordance with article 12 (d) of the Optional Protocol, the national preventive mechanism of Portugal enter into dialogue with the Subcommittee on the implementation of the Subcommittee’s recommendations, within six months of the Subcommittee’s receipt of the reply to the present report. The Subcommittee also recommends that the national preventive mechanism initiate discussions with the Subcommittee on the arrangements for such a dialogue at the time of the submission of its reply to the present report. 15 15 NPMs can request technical assistance from OHCHR after an SPT visit through requesting such assistance in writing and addressed to the Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, copying the Coordinator of Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme and SPT Secretary. 9

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