Part II Protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls: NHRIs in action Where a specialized plan to promote the rights of women and girls is needed, NHRIs should take a leadership role to advocate for its development. They can also play a key role in conception, planning, drafting and then monitoring its implementation. 87 88 HANDBOOK FOR NATIONAL ACTION PLANS ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN87 Published by UN Women, this Handbook brings together current knowledge on effective policy for the prevention of, and response to, violence against women. It sets out guidelines to help policy makers and advocates, including NHRIs, formulate effective plans. It draws on a number of good practice examples and includes advice from experts from different countries and regions. The Handbook outlines the international and regional legal and policy frameworks requiring States to adopt and implement national action plans to address violence against women. It then presents a model framework for national action plans, including explanatory commentaries and examples. More generally, NHRIs can play a critical role in ensuring that the appropriate links are made between these various specialized plans and their implementation. The human rights of women and girls are generally a cross-cutting issue in specialized national plans and it is crucial that they complement and reinforce one another. THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY88 The purpose of the Australian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2012–2018 is to: • Articulate Australia’s ongoing commitment to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and the broader UN Security Council agenda on this issue • Establish a clear framework for a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to implementing UNSCR 1325 and related resolutions • Identify strategies and actions that Australia will undertake, both domestically and overseas, to implement UNSCR 1325 and related resolutions, and measure the effectiveness of this work over the life of the action plan • Highlight the important work that Australia is doing in partnership with the international community to respond to women’s needs, recognize their roles, promote equal participation and protect women’s and girls’ human rights in fragile, conflict and post-conflict settings. 87 UN Women, Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence against Women, 2012; available at www.unwomen.org/en/digitallibrary/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women. 88 Australian Government, Australian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2012–2018, p. 15; available at www. fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/05_2012/aus_nap_on_women_2012_2018.pdf. Chapter 4: Supporting a strong national legal and policy framework | 49