Functions The main functions of the committee are: • To conceptualize the national action plan as a synthesis of international standards, domestic law and local circumstances; • To conduct a baseline study to establish the national human rights context; • To collate relevant existing human rights information such as government agency studies and reports, and reports by national human rights institutions, international organizations and NGOs; • To take into account existing action plans, including development plans and plans in the areas of women’s rights, children’s rights and educational planning; • To formulate the draft national action plan by identifying objectives, strategies, components, priorities, vulnerable groups, programmes and activities, monitoring, evaluation and revision within clear time frames; • To organize consultative forums/public meetings to assess responses and then to revise and finalize the national action plan, taking into account the input received; • To submit the plan for approval at the highest levels of government; • To disseminate the adopted national action plan to all actors concerned for implementation and integration into their respective policies and plans of action; • To develop and implement a media strategy, including the public dissemination of relevant materials, in order to bring all stakeholders into the process and to facilitate awareness of the plan among the general public; • To monitor and facilitate evaluation of the national action plan; • To report as appropriate, including perhaps to the public, the government or the parliament. In some countries, it may be found useful to institutionalize the coordinating committee as a body with functions that extend beyond the national action plan. The committee may assume continuing responsibility for integrating and mainstreaming human rights issues within government agencies. Its activity may include promoting and coordinating human rights training, capacity-building and events, and mobilizing resources for human rights-related activities. Time frames Clear time frames should be established for the functioning of the coordinating committee and the completion of its various tasks. The committee itself should meet on a regular basis. While it is important that the plan be properly prepared, the work of the coordinating committee should not be excessively prolonged. It will undermine efforts to set an effective plan in place if a perception develops that the process is drifting. It is desirable therefore that the coordinating committee should work steadily and aim to launch the plan 12 to 18 months after the process has begun. 49