gations should be made known to the public. The institution should make available information as to how further details about investigations can be accessed. The institution may also conduct special reports or studies, and such reports or studies should be provided to all those having an interest in them. The ombudsman’s operating procedures and regulations, particularly for complaint investigations, should be made public. The operations of the minority ombudsman institution should be transparent. There are several aspects to transparency. First, the operating policies and rules of the institution must be defined, and must be made available to those who deal with it as well as to the broader public. It is particularly important that its procedures with respect to investigations of complaints made by the public against public bodies are clear and understandable. Its rules and procedures with respect to staffing and to the awarding of contracts and funding should similarly be clear and understandable. PART III Reports and the outcomes of investigations should be made public and the ombudsman should have a media and dissemination policy, including dissemination to minority media. “Within the framework of its operation, the national institution shall … address public opinion directly or through any press organ, particularly in order to publicize its opinions and recommendations.” Paris Principles, Principle C(3). The second aspect to transparency is that the minority ombudsman institution should report to interested parties and to the wider public on the conduct of its activities. As a public body funded out of tax revenues, the minority ombudsman institution should also be accountable to the broader public. Thus, annual reports, special reports, studies and information about investigations should be made known to the media and to the wider public. Clearly, the preparation of the annual report, special reports and reports on investigations promotes this goal. However, the mere preparation of such materials is not sufficient if the public is not sufficiently aware of its activities. The institution should publicize its existence by developing an advertising strategy in various media. It is particularly important that it develop a presence in minority media and a capacity to provide advertising and communicating with minority communities through the medium of their own language. A database of public bodies potentially subject to investigation, of NGOs and other organizations active with minority communities, and of schools, colleges and universities, should be developed and maintained. Key documents – particularly annual reports, summaries of relevant legal standards, and procedures for making complaints and conducting investigations – should be regularly provided. However, the potential importance of the strategic use of the media for the ombudsman’s work must also be noted. The threat of publication can be used to persuade authorities to comply with recommendations, as can the strategic use of silence. All media usage must be conducted responsibly. 58