What are civil society organisations relevant to the work of NPMs?

Civil society includes a wide range of actors including non-governmental organisations and associations, professional associations, trade unions, academia, and faith-based groups.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) are essential actors in the prevention of torture. They work with and in parallel to NPMs, with their different mandates, working methods and strategies. While it is impossible to provide an exhaustive list, in relation to torture prevention the following types of civil society organisations may be particularly relevant: national and international human rights organisations, including those litigating on cases of torture and related issues; organisations working with particular groups in situations of vulnerability; detainee family associations, academics, unions (for example of healthcare workers of detention staff), organisations of former or present detainees, and professional associations, particularly of lawyers and doctors, among many others.