A/HRC/34/53 against discrimination, stigmatization and any misuse of sensitive information, in accordance with international standards of personal data protection and privacy. 73. Disaggregated data-gathering should be conducted at the national, regional and local levels through the national census and periodic social surveys, accompanied by appropriate statistical analysis. It is essential to include data takers from diverse backgrounds, including minority persons, especially in territories where minorities are concentrated. Census questions should allow for open and multiple responses to enable respondents to selfidentify according to their national, ethnic, religious and linguistic affiliation, including multiple identities. It is necessary to develop various socioeconomic indicators and indices to adequately assess possible marginalization of and discrimination against minorities with respect to, inter alia, access to education, employment, health, housing and public services. Moreover, other forms of surveys, such as population surveys that measure experiences, perceptions and attitudes, and situation-testing surveys to directly measure discrimination in specific instances may be necessary to fully understand the status of minorities. 3. Strengthening the institutional framework for better protection of minority rights 74. International as well as national legal frameworks on minority rights are essential. However, they are not sufficient to guarantee the actual implementation of the rights of persons belonging to minorities. The Special Rapporteur has repeatedly emphasized that specialized mechanisms need to be put in place at all levels to facilitate legislative and policy development and the design, implementation and monitoring of minority-related programmes (A/67/293). And while Governments have the primary responsibility to implement minority rights, regional and universal mechanisms are called upon to play an important role in supporting, guiding and monitoring States’ compliance with international standards on minority rights. 75. Specialist national institutions and mechanisms on minority rights should have proactive mandates that include, inter alia, reviewing and proposing domestic standards and providing expertise and information to legislative drafting and policymaking processes; monitoring laws and policies with respect to minority rights and recommending amendments or implementation measures; encouraging and coordinating programming on minority issues and strategies devised to address problems relating to minorities; promotion and education activities; developing good practice guides, information resources and reports; developing campaigns and outreach relating to minority rights and building bridges and working as effective channels of communication between minority communities and the public administration. Their role is of paramount importance to ensure that the enjoyment of minority rights is a reality and not merely an aspiration. 76. The Special Rapporteur often came across gaps between the ambitious policies, legislation, action plans and programmes on minorities, on the one hand, and the lack of mechanisms in place to actually carry them out or monitor their implementation, on the other. She is concerned that during her tenure, several countries had difficulties in identifying the most relevant governmental departments in charge of minorities and even when they did so, their capacities in terms of staff, budget and authority often did not meet the necessary minimum standards to provide effective attention to and protection of minorities. 77. The Special Rapporteur is of the view that given the importance of realizing minority rights as an essential means to prevent tensions and conflict, investment in institutional attention to minority issues is needed more than ever. States should redouble their efforts to institutionalize expertise in minority rights before tensions arise, in order to identify potential problems and implement effective prevention measures. This is important not only for States with significant minority populations and where there is a history of ethnic or religious tensions or conflict, but for all States, owing to the present international 15