A/HRC/34/16 ensure coherence with the work of the Office as well as with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. New guidelines for applicants and grantees were adopted by OHCHR and the Subcommittee’s working group. It was decided that, in its next call for applications, the Special Fund will pursue a new strategic direction, focusing its support entirely on national preventive mechanisms, the establishment of which is a core obligation under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Properly functioning national preventive mechanisms are vital in preventing torture and ill-treatment through their visits to places of detention, the identification of risks and the adoption of recommendations to authorities on how to address those risks. 12. With respect to promotion and fundraising, two meetings of the Chair of the Subcommittee with Member States were held, on 17 October and 15 November 2016, in New York and Geneva respectively. The Chair updated Member States on work that had been undertaken during the first five years of the Special Fund, including the real impact on torture prevention on the ground. He highlighted the dire financial situation of the Fund and encouraged further contributions to enable the Fund to carry out its unique and very important work. The Secretariat developed a new brochure on the Fund with the support of United Nations Volunteers. 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 36 projects for a total amount of $985,304.25 in 11 States across four regions. Projects contributed to building the knowledge and capacities of more than 2,000 people in torture prevention techniques and methodology, in particular staff of national preventive mechanisms, judges, law enforcement and penitentiary officers, medical personnel and social workers as well as members of civil society organizations. 14. Activities of the Special Fund should be commensurate with the expansion of the activities of the Subcommittee, which has resulted in more States becoming eligible for grants from the Fund: 13 States in 2015 and 17 in 2016. This trend is expected to continue as more States ratify the Optional Protocol and agree to the publication of the Subcommittee’s visit reports. 15. The minimum amount required on an annual basis to guarantee the functioning of the Special Fund is 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, $20,000). During 2016 the Fund received contribution of $48,846 and pledges of $230,779. Contributions to the Special Fund (1 January 2016-8 December 2016) Donor Date of receipt Argentina 10 000 4 March 2016 Spain 38 846 29 November 2016 Total contributions received 4 Amount (United States dollars) 48 846