developed in a manner similar to that of other major government activities. The stimulus may originate at the highest level of government. Alternatively, it may originate at the working level, as part of the policy-making process. Government action is of course influenced by action on the part of civil society, particularly nongovernmental organizations working in the field of human rights. In some cases, it may be the action of NGOs that persuades governments to develop a national plan. While the major stimulus will be of domestic origin, international activity can provide shape and direction to the process. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action is an important reference point, which leads naturally to the use of internationally agreed human rights norms as the framework of a plan. Impetus can also be provided by international meetings on the subject, such as the regional workshops on national action plans that have been organized by OHCHR in Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. The focal agency Whatever the precise location of the original stimulus to action, it is important that a specific organ of government be identified early in the process as the focal agency for action. That organ may be a Ministry of Justice, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the President or some other appropriate department. In some cases, it may be a national human rights institution, although it should be understood that responsibility for implementation must always rest with the government. The focal agency may be more or less self-selecting. Its nomination may flow from a process of consultation involving government agencies and possibly civil society organizations and other relevant institutions. The end-point of the process should involve the government officially appointing the selected agency to perform the task. Whatever organ of government is appointed as focal agency, it should be given sufficient authority and resources to carry out its responsibilities effectively. It is also useful to have a counterpart NGO coordination committee or possibly a “focal” NGO to facilitate communication with civil society (see section 6.3). 5.3 Who should be involved? Without broad participation at the stages of both development and implementation, there is a risk that the plan will end up as no more than a rhetorical gesture and that at the implementation stage it will run into the sand. Broad participation will ensure that the plan’s goals are widely shared and that the process is transparent. By mobilizing large numbers of people, broad participation will also help maintain momentum towards effective implementation. Depending on the size and scope of the projected plan and taking into account available resources, the planning process may include the participation or involvement of the following: • The head of government and responsible ministers; • Parliamentarians, particularly where there are parliamentary human rights committees; 42