A/HRC/35/38 obstacle to the reintegration into society of persons affected by leprosy and their family members. G. Follow-up and monitoring the implementation of the principles and guidelines 1. At the national level 57. All the responses indicated that no country had a national committee to coordinate activities relating to persons affected by leprosy and no country had formulated a comprehensive set of policies and measures in the form of national action plans, as recommended by the principles and guidelines, as a basis for following up their implementation. However, some respondents noted that, despite the absence of a specific national action plan or committee established at the national level, policies and laws had been adopted in their respective countries and, if fully implemented, they would be equivalent to partial or meaningful implementation of the principles and guidelines. 56 58. Almost all of the responses from associations of persons affected by leprosy and NGOs working with them as well as some of national human rights institutions underlined the need for Governments to develop specific measures to implement the principles and guidelines, in particular in the form of a time-bound national action plan, and to designate broad-based stakeholder committees from the national to the community level. 57 That could then form the basis for follow-up and reporting to a designated government body on the steps taken towards the implementation of the principles and guidelines. The responses received also underlined that persons affected by leprosy and their family members, either as individuals or through their associations or NGOs and civil society organizations working closely with them, should be actively involved and consulted at all levels and stages of the decision-making process in order for the Government and other stakeholders to adequately address the prevalent stigma and discrimination that persons affected by leprosy and their family members faced and to follow up and report on the implementation of the principles and guidelines. 59. Most of the responses also indicated that there should be a designated body within the Government to coordinate the national action plan for the implementation of the principles and guidelines and highlighted Ministries of Health and national human rights institutions, in particular, in their respective countries that were already engaged or should be engaged directly or indirectly in promoting the human rights of and combating stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. 60. Many of the responses mentioned some of the priority measures that their respective Governments should take towards implementing the principles and guidelines, including promoting awareness-raising and dissemination of the principles and guidelines, repealing discriminatory laws, promoting social integration and rehabilitation of persons affected by leprosy and their family members, using appropriate and dignified language and empowering persons affected by leprosy and their family members. (a) Promoting awareness-raising and dissemination of the principles and guidelines 61. Governments should strengthen their efforts to raise awareness about leprosy and widely disseminate the principles and guidelines throughout their respective countries, including providing information about the disease, treatment, discrimination and stigma faced by persons affected by leprosy and their family members, with their active participation and in collaboration with stakeholders within the Government and within society, such as religious leaders, human rights bodies, the media, opinion makers, among others. In that regard, the principles and guidelines should be mainstreamed in school curricula and the media should be co-opted to play an active role in eliminating discriminatory attitudes towards persons affected by leprosy and their family members and to give wider coverage to advocacy programmes. 56 57 Responses from Japan, Rwanda and Viet Nam. Responses from Egypt, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. 13