organise the meetings as well as to support the Committee members with the preparation of official documents such as the LOIPR and the Concluding Observations. However, the quality of this support depends on the level of detailed knowledge they have about the issues to be addressed. Most secretariat staff are highly qualified, but at the same time they are generalists who provide support to several different thematic areas of work. Therefore, it may be necessary to ensure that they are updated on specific issues in order to provide quality support. Other NGOs and NHRIs involved in the review NGOs and NHRIs have a range of different formal and informal roles in the reporting cycle. However, these are not always a homogenous group, and there may be other national or international organisations that are working to achieve other objectives than yours. While these are often mutually reinforcing, there may be instances where they are either conflicting or simply competing with your objectives for limited attention. This means that other NGOs and NHRIs can have significant impact on whether you achieve your objectives — either as an ally or as a competitor. In either case, it is important to be aware and map which other organisations are working on the review to ensure that your activities are coordinated and that avenues for collaboration are explored. How to influence the relevant stakeholders The following sections will look at each step of the reporting cycle and outline what 14 are the main objectives; which stakeholders can help you achieve these objectives; and how the support of these actors can be solicited. Phase 1 – Providing information for LOIPR adoption The LOIPR is prepared on the basis of the previous concluding observations and all credible information available to the Committee. It is, thus, possible for NGOs and other interested parties to submit written information about the current state of implementation of UNCAT and relevant questions that can be asked to the State. The questions contained in the LOIPR frame the discussion during the remaining part of the review cycle. New and emerging issues not included in the LOIPR can still be addressed, but they are less likely to be a focus of the Committee. Therefore, the main objective of interventions in relation to the LOIPR should be to ensure that your priority substance issues are included in the questions submitted to the Government. There are four main stakeholders who can help you achieve this objective: the country rapporteurs; the Committee; the Committee secretariat; and individual members with special interests. The country rapporteurs are the main actors responsible for preparing the LOIPR, and it is thus important to ensure that they recognise the relevance of your priority issue. LOIPRs must enjoy support from a majority of the Committee members and in practice they are unanimously adopted. Therefore, it is important to ensure that at least a majority (and preferably all) of the Committee members recognise this relevance. If necessary, individual Committee members Engaging with State reviews in the UN Committee against Torture: A practical guide