A/69/266 constitutes an essential measure to prevent violence, particularly in countries in which historical tensions and violence may have been evident. Dedicated institutional attention increases the Government’s capacity to protect minorities in practice and to respond to situations that arise. It promotes engagement with minorities and enables threats to be identified and responded to at an early stage. 66. The establishment of specialized departments or units with responsibility for minority and inter-ethnic and interreligious issues in relevant ministries and within independent national human rights institutions can play a role in preventing violence. Such institutions should have a clear mandate, authority and an allocated budget to operate efficiently. Dedicated institutions, including staff from minorities and with expertise on minority issues, can take the lead in designing and implementing policy, mainstreaming attention to minority issues, monitoring the situation of minorities, establishing complaints mechanisms, promoting consultation, conducting research and investigating human rights abuses, threats and rights violations. In some situations, minority issues should be taken up at the highest government levels to ensure the adoption of adequate institutional and policy frameworks in order to manage diversity where tensions exist. D. Strengthening security measures and law enforcement bodies 67. The threat of violence against minorities may be such that it requires an immediate operational security response in order to prevent imminent violence or to quickly respond to it. In some situations, a pattern of violent attacks can be identified which allows law enforcement bodies to better predict the occurrence of further attacks. It is the responsibility of the national authorities and law enforcement bodies to act decisively and appropriately. While it may be difficult to predict when or where violent incidents might take place, it must not be a justification for inaction; several concrete measures can be taken. 68. The establishment of mechanisms and processes to raise and respond to alarms is essential to preventing and stopping violence. Ensuring appropriate community liaison promotes trust and establishes and maintains strong and efficient channels of communication between communities and law-enforcement bodies. Identifying the individuals, communities or locations, community leaders or high profile places of worship or congregations that are most at risk is an important step. Increasing a visible security presence in key locations, including places of worship or n earby identified at-risk communities, is a deterrent to violence. In remote locations where there is a low presence of authorities, it may be necessary to establish a security presence to protect local communities. 69. The creation of community or neighbourhood watch and early warning mechanisms that enable at-risk communities to identify threats and quickly contact law enforcement authorities is another measure that has been put in place, including in Nigeria where violence and intercommunal tensions have been present. Having local “eyes and ears” to report potential incidents offers valuable, community -based, early warning potential, although it remains reliant on a rapid response by law enforcement bodies to alerts if it is to be effective. 70. In some situations, members of minority communities have testified that law enforcement bodies were present or informed at the time violence that took place but had failed to arrive or intervene. In the worst cases, victims reported that law 18/24 14-58850