A/HRC/27/43 Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Following the ratification of the Optional Protocol in 2007, the Government established in 2009 and 2010 an interministerial committee and a secretariat thereto, respectively, and designated them as “the national preventive mechanism”, but there is as yet no law establishing a mechanism compliant with the requirements of the Optional Protocol. To enhance the knowledge about detention monitoring of the members of the governmental national preventive mechanism and in addition to the first joint visit to Battambang prison, OHCHR made available in Khmer two briefing notes of the Association for the Prevention of Torture entitled “Mitigating of the risks of sanctions related to detention monitoring” and “The selection of persons to interview in the context of preventive detention monitoring”. 52. In December 2013, Cambodia hosted a follow-up visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. OHCHR, the Subcommittee and the governmental national preventive mechanism jointly conducted a national workshop on the establishment of an independent national preventive mechanism in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) and the requirements of the Optional Protocol. OHCHR commissioned for the workshop a study on comparative legislation by the Association for the Prevention of Torture, which enabled a discussion on successful experiences in establishing an independent mechanism in other countries. However, no progress has been seen on drawing up a law to establish an independent mechanism at the time of drafting of the present report. The Chairperson of the governmental mechanism called for a review of the effectiveness of the existing mechanism before embarking on drafting a law. 53. OHCHR continued to promote prisoners’ right to the highest attainable standard of health. In addition to the promotion of sentence reduction and pardon for medical reasons, that also included continued advocacy and support for secured hospital rooms for sick prisoners, to obviate the need to chain up prisoners in need of medical treatment. Building on successful examples from the previous reporting period, OHCHR worked extensively with provincial health departments, medical NGOs and national and provincial prison authorities to secure rooms at the referral hospitals of four more provinces. Of the 26 provinces in Cambodia, 15 have now secured rooms or are in the process of securing rooms for sick prisoners at referral hospitals. While OHCHR initially took the lead on this matter, NGOs working on health in prison have now begun to replicate the initiative. 54. Previous OHCHR support for disaster preparedness in the prison system paid off in October 2013 when Banteay Meanchey prison’s wall collapsed during floods and the authorities proved ready to promptly and safely evacuate all prisoners to Battambang and Siem Reap prisons. OHCHR provided thousands of sandbags, 100 litres of fuel for pumping water from the prison compounds, renovation materials for the reparation of the damaged flood-defence shield and hygienic supplies to prisons in five affected provinces. 55. OHCHR continued to provide technical and material assistance to improve prison facilities, in line with monitoring recommendations and the still-to-be-adopted Prakas on Minimum Standards for Prison Construction (sub-legislation required under the 2011 Law on Prisons). The Office’s support contributed in particular to improving natural light and ventilation in Battambang and Takeo prisons and the use of space to mitigate prison overcrowding in women’s cells at Correctional Centre 2. For several years, OHCHR had repeatedly raised the issue of the substandard nature of the prisons of Oddar Meanchey and Pailin provinces. In 2014, the Government allocated funds to build new prisons in both provinces. 56. In consultation with the General Department of Prisons, OHCHR drafted educational posters on the rights of prisoners and on family visits. It continued to work 14