The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) is an international human rights treaty designed to strengthen protection for people deprived of their liberty. It recognizes that such people are particularly vulnerable and aims to prevent their ill-treatment through establishing a system of visits or inspections to all places of detention. OPCAT requires that States designate a 'national preventive mechanism' to carry out visits to places of detention, to monitor the treatment of and conditions for detainees and to make recommendations regarding the prevention of ill-treatment.

Ukraine ratified OPCAT in July 2006 and designed its National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) only in November 2012. The scope of activities in this sphere is quite extensive, as the overall number of places of detention as defined by the OPCAT exceeds 6,000 institutions under the supervision of 11 ministries and state agencies. The "Ombudsman Plus" model means cooperation of the Ombudsperson with CSOs and public monitors foreseeing implementation of monitoring visits to places of detention by employees of the Office of the Ombudsperson together with public monitors. "On one hand, they are our best partners, assistants and, on another hand, there is more trust to our visits from society," emphasized the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) Ms. Valeriya Lutkovska.

In this connection, the development of the NPM public monitors network is key to effective functioning of the mechanism at all. Certified activists possess the delegated mandate of the Ombudsperson to inspect places of deprivation of freedom together with the Ombudsperson's Office. This year, additional 21 civic NPM monitors were trained with UNDP support. To strengthen capacities of NPM monitors and experts, the publication on "Collection of Useful NPM Courses" was developed and published with UNDP support.