PART III
Dissemination of Legal Standards
The ombudsman should be involved in the dissemination of information
about national and international developments in minority protection to relevant
government departments, organizations, schools and the media.
It is important that the minority ombudsman institution act as an information clearing house for new international and national developments. As noted earlier, a database of governmental bodies, minority community organizations and NGOs, universities, colleges and schools, and relevant media outlets, as well as interested
individuals should be kept. This database should be used to provide such bodies,
organizations and persons with press releases highlighting new developments and
containing information on how to contact the institution to obtain further particulars. Indeed, the institution should consider developing a regular newsletter that
could be broadly circulated containing such information. A good interactive website
should also be prepared, with links to relevant international bodies, organizations,
and so forth. The institution should also offer regular seminars to bodies and organizations on minority issues. Finally, the institution should have a media strategy,
should hold regular press conferences, and when there is a major development,
such as new legislation, should publicize the development in the broadcast and
print media.
The minority ombudsman can also function as a kind of databank concerning court
and tribunal cases of minority rights, successful methods of proof, available data
for evidence (relevant statistical and demographic data for example), data concerning public interest law firms dealing with such cases, and information concerning legal aid available for those who choose or have to choose litigation.
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