ously give feedback to the team with information about the reactions and opinions of the beneficiaries. PART I A process of `benchmarking’ the results of programme evaluations against other projects at a national level, and/or trans-nationally, would provide useful data on the effectiveness of the programmes and lead to the more efficient use of financial and manpower resources. The minority ombudsman should promote, initiate and support policy research helping the creation and implementation of policies relating to minority rights. The minority ombudsman also conducts research into issues of racial discrimination or orders relevant policy-oriented research from specialized research institutes, researchers or experts working in the field. Proposals for policies and programmes need to be based on high quality evidence, good research and evaluations that will enhance the ombudsman’s reputation. The institution and its experienced staff will have a good perspective in determining what kind of policy-oriented research is needed for the advancement of minority policy, and what research best furthers the enforcement of minority rights. The office may encourage or promote research, which could be undertaken in-house or sub-contracted. The minority ombudsman may facilitate the establishment of and promote networks of minority organizations. The minority ombudsman may work in a liaison function to promote contact between minority organizations, public bodies, branches of government, non-public sector organizations, and between each of these categories of organizations and bodies. Involving and consulting minority organizations is primarily the task of the policymaker, however, the minority ombudsman will have an important role in monitoring whether this task is adequately performed by the various state actors and in facilitating its application. The ombudsman can use its reports to provide feedback on laws, policies and practices, and to signal the necessity of change in a systematic manner. The annual reports presented by the ombudsman to the appointing body will aim, on the one hand, to make public the activity and the findings of the ombudsman, and on the other hand, to make recommendations concerning legislation, policy and practices based on the individual complaints received by the ombudsman and the formal investigations conducted on its own initiative. Thus the institution is a very important actor in both monitoring and evaluation, provides feedback on how existing laws, policies and practices operate, and where an amendment or new legislation or policy is needed. Even though the ombudsman will not always have the power to make suggestions on the substance of change, it can signal its necessity, and highlight the nature of the problem. These practices are all part of a programme-type of approach to the implementation of minority rights. 34