and timeframes to achieve better representation of minorities in security forces personnel and policies; and to enhance civil society’s capacity to monitor the work of law enforcement bodies and the criminal justice system. Discussion The following issues were raised during the discussion under Item VI: - The importance to ensure the comprehensive implementation of minority rights, non-discrimination and equality standards and to swiftly restore and strengthen the rule of law in post-violence situations as they constitute the foundation for the prevention of further violence against minorities and help to establish the conditions for a stable peace. - The necessity to build and strengthen frameworks and mechanisms for stability involving actors at national, regional and international level in order to avoid recurrence of violence. - The importance to understand and address the root causes of violence in order to avoid renewed episodes of violence. - The importance to ensure that any post-conflict and post-violence programme is designed and implemented in full consultation with affected minorities, gives priority to local context and promotes a bottom-up approaches. - The importance of empowering minority victims in order to allow them to restore their dignity, claim their rights and access to justice and reparations. - The importance to accept, when appropriate, the jurisdiction of international tribunals. - The need for transitional justice processes and mechanisms to address violations of all rights, including economic, social and cultural rights. - The need to secure an enabling environment for minorities to access formal justice, including by guaranteeing their personal safety and security, identifying and overcoming legislative, administrative, social or cultural barriers that some groups, especially women, may face in exercising their right to access to justice. - The necessity to prove strong will on enforcement of existing protecting frameworks for minorities by all relevant stakeholders, including political and community leaders and the minority community itself. - The need to invest more on training, education and public awareness programmes in order to build peaceful societies that promote and respect diversity. The Chairperson, Mr Patrick Thornberry provided some concluding remarks Mr. Thornberry thanked all participants for sharing their personal narratives, information, ideas, plans, analysis and positive experiences in a mixed of optimism and realism and for the overall good sense and cooperation of participants through the complex and challenging agenda. He further thanked for the contributions made to the draft recommendations, which will certainly improve the document. He recalled the limited participation of States and civil society at the time of the drafting of the 1992 Declaration and compared it to the today greater visibility of minority issues. He recalled that the importance of minority rights has been recognised and understood also through the work 20