CRC/C/LVA/CO/2 page 3 9. The Committee recommends that the State party revise or amend laws where necessary, and take the necessary measures, inter alia, by providing adequate human and financial resources, to ensure the implementation of the laws in order to bring them in full compliance with the Convention. Coordination and national plan of action 10. The Committee welcomes the establishment of institutional mechanisms focused on the rights of children, including the Ministry for Children and Family Affairs, which is mandated to develop, coordinate and monitor implementation of a national policy related to the protection of children’s rights, and the creation of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Children’s Rights to, inter alia, ensure compliance with the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child and other legislation. The Committee also notes that a number of policies, strategies and action plans explicitly refer to the rights of children, including the “Principal Positions Latvia Fit for Children”. However, the Committee is concerned that there is still a lack of coordination of the various institutional mechanisms and entities to monitor implementation of the Convention throughout Latvia, including between the national and local levels. The Committee is also concerned at the absence of a comprehensive national plan of action for the implementation of the long-term policy, Latvia Fit for Children. 11. The Committee encourages the State party: (a) To strengthen the mandate of the Ministry for Children and Family Affairs to coordinate and monitor implementation of a national policy related to the protection of children’s rights; (b) To develop a national plan of action for the full implementation of the Principal Positions Latvia Fit for Children that specifies goals and objectives and establishes a clear time frame and that fully incorporates the principles and provisions of the Convention and of the law; (c) To situate all other action plans and programmes under the national plan of action to avoid fragmentation and unnecessary overlap; and (d) To provide the mechanisms, regulations and budgetary and human resources necessary for the effective implementation of this national plan of action. Independent monitoring 12. The Committee welcomes the establishment of various mechanisms, including the Section for Protection of the Rights of the Child in the Latvia National Human Rights Office, which deals, inter alia, with complaints related to violations of children’s rights, and the draft law on Public Advocate, an ombuds-type of institution meant to broaden the human rights protection and to secure the observance of the principle of good governance by State institutions. The Committee is nevertheless concerned that this section of the National Human Rights Office is inadequately mandated to monitor, regularly evaluate or report on implementation of the Convention. The Committee regrets that despite its previous recommendation, the State party has not established a post of Ombudsperson for Children.