The following are a range of activities falling within the development and monitoring areas of the plan that are likely to require funding or resource allocation, together with comments on how the various funding requirements may be addressed. (The issue of funding assistance through programmes of technical assistance is discussed below in section 13.3.) Preliminary consultations with relevant agencies and organizations • These should probably be conducted by staff of the focal agency. It is therefore preferable to view the use of this staff as a core activity of the agency concerned and to include the expenses involved in the agency’s normal budget. Travel costs may be incurred when staff visit different parts of the country to speak to relevant groups, for example at public meetings, as well as venue hire costs and other expenses associated with the holding of public meetings. These costs will be supplementary to those budgeted for by the agency in the absence of a plan, but it is desirable to finance such activities from within its normal budget. • Some costs may be incurred by NGOs participating in consultations. It is suggested that they should generally be borne by the organizations concerned, partly because government funding of NGO core advocacy functions may tend to undermine the NGO’s independence. • An exception to this general rule may arise in the case of the initial national consultative meeting to elaborate the concept of the national action plan and to fill out the details of the plan development process. It may be desirable for the government to finance the expenses of those invited to participate. However, if a less structured approach to participation is adopted, such financing may not be appropriate. Establishment of the national coordinating committee • Resources will be required to cover the travel costs of committee members and the costs of meeting venues, secretariat services at meetings and, possibly, honoraria. The costs will depend on the size of the committee and how often it meets. In the developmental phase it will need to meet more often, while during the implementation and monitoring phase it may meet only every six months. The funds required for the committee will be additional to any previously existing budgets. However, most countries have experience of establishing autonomous committees for specific purposes and funding precedents are also likely to exist. • Key office-holders of the committee may find themselves working more or less full time. Office space and associated facilities may be needed. These requirements may be categorized as expenses of the secretariat. Establishment of a secretariat • A small secretariat will be required to support the coordinating committee and to manage activities relating to the national plan between committee meetings. Resources will be required for purposes such as office space, office equipment, communications, travel and so on. Major tasks for the secretariat may include responsibility for drafting the baseline study and probably the plan itself. If the baseline study or other activities are subcontracted by the secretariat to others, for example consultants, funds will be needed to cover the additional costs. 101