A/HRC/40/20 mechanisms”.2 The guide was prepared in close collaboration with Subcommittee experts and OHCHR field officers experienced in supporting the establishment of or assisting in strengthening national preventive mechanisms on the ground. The guide also reflects good practices of projects supported by grants from the Special Fund. It is intended to assist both the authorities in States planning to establish or seeking to strengthen their national preventive mechanisms and the staff of national preventive mechanisms themselves. It is also expected to be a useful tool for experts and professionals involved in preventing and combating torture, civil society organizations and the general public. 12. The guide was launched during a meeting with Member States on 21 June 2018 in Geneva. The Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture presented the guide as a practical tool for improving the work of national preventive mechanisms and ensuring their effective functioning and compliance with the Optional Protocol. They also referred to the projects supported by the Special Fund, highlighting their real impact on torture prevention on the ground, and encouraged further contributions to enable the Fund to carry out its unique and important work. III. Financial situation of the Special Fund 13. The Special Fund is the only functional fund established by an international human rights treaty. Since its creation in 2012, the Fund has supported a total of 49 projects for a total amount of $1,558,036 in 17 States across four regions. 14. The activities of the Fund should be commensurate with the growth of the activities of the Subcommittee, which have resulted in an expanding number of States eligible for the Fund: in 2015 there were 13, in 2017, 22 and in 2018, there are 37 overall. That trend is expected to continue while countries are encouraged to ratify the Optional Protocol and to accept the publication of the Subcommittee’s visit reports. 15. The minimum required on an annual basis to guarantee its functioning would be some $500,000, which would enable the Fund to support an average of 10–20 projects per year, with a reasonable level of funding per project (for example, $25,000). The increased number of donors and contributions (see the table below) attests to the importance that States give to torture prevention. However, sustainable support and contributions are necessary to launch and implement further calls for applications. Contributions to the Special Fund (1 January–31 December 2018) Donor Date of receipt Argentina $3 500 Germany $73 619 15 February 2018 Germany $46 620 24 September 2018 France $24 539 7 March 2018 Total contributions received 2 Amount (United States dollars) 9 March 2018 $148 281 The guide is available on the OHCHR website at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/ NPM_Guide_EN.pdf. 5