CRC/C/MDA/CO/3 page 3 Coordination 11. While noting the creation of the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child, responsible for protecting the rights of families and children, the Committee is concerned that there are areas of overlap and duplication in the coordination of activities and responsibilities relating to children’s rights among central ministries and between the local and national levels. 12. The Committee recommends that, with a view to improving the coordination and implementation of child-related strategies and programmes of action, the State party take the necessary steps to ensure effective coordination, particularly amongst its ministries and agencies. The Committee further urges the State party to consider strategies for improving the efficacy of local and national child rights institutions. National Plan of Action 13. The Committee notes that the new National Development Strategy (2008-2011) does not specifically address child poverty and that poverty has been given lower priority under the strategy. The Committee is concerned that the impact of many strategies for the protection of children’s rights, including the National Strategy on Child and Family Protection, is still very limited due to inadequate financial support out of the State budget. 14. The Committee recommends that the State party consider incorporating measures to address child poverty through the National Development Strategy. The Committee urges the State party, in the implementation of its National Strategy on Child and Family Protection, to take into account, inter alia, the Declaration and the Plan of Action “A World Fit for Children” adopted by the General Assembly special session in May 2002 and its mid-term review 2007. The State party should also take all necessary measures to ensure a specific and adequate budget allocation and provide professional resources and follow-up and evaluation mechanisms for the full implementation of the plan of action in order to regularly assess progress achieved and identify possible deficiencies. Independent monitoring 15. The Committee welcomes the appointment of the ombudsman for children (the Child’s Advocate) and notes that, in line with the Paris Principles, the Child’s Advocate is empowered to investigate complaints from children and act on his or her own initiative. 16. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures to ensure that the Child’s Advocate has adequate human and financial resources to exercise his or her mandate effectively and that this mandate should include the responsibility to monitor the implementation of the Convention. In this regard, the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 2 (2002) on the role of independent national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child. Allocation of resources 17. The Committee expresses its concern that budgetary allocations for children, in particular for children living in rural areas, are insufficient and that often resources allocated do not correspond to the needs identified. 18. The Committee strongly recommends that the State party, in accordance with article 4 of the Convention, further increase budget allocations for the implementation of the rights