Minority voices must be considered in a range of national policies, from economic policies to education, health, housing and policing policies. Minority women and other marginalized groups within minorities must be equally involved in the planning and execution of these programmes, and indeed, special measures should be taken in order to ensure their inclusion. 2. Programmes of cooperation and assistance among States should be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities. Development and aid projects between states which affect minority communities cannot be planned and implemented without proper consultation with those groups and their consent. International financial institutions and development agencies must adhere to these standards as well. Project impact assessments must consider the rights and well-being of minority groups; this includes respect for traditional forms of livelihood. Article 6 States should cooperate on questions relating to persons belonging to minorities, inter alia, exchanging information and experiences, in order to promote mutual understanding and confidence. Protecting the rights of minorities is in the best interest of states, in order to promote peace and understanding. Long-term discrimination against minorities often results in tensions and sometimes in conflict, which can spill across borders. States should share knowledge and best practices on how to implement minority rights. Article 7 States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set forth in the present Declaration. In Europe, for example the Office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities is a regional mechanism that works to protect minority rights. States should look at this and other successful examples to see if similar mechanisms are appropriate in their regions. International cooperation to protect the rights of minorities can be coordinated through UN human rights mechanisms. Article 8 1. Nothing in the present Declaration shall prevent the fulfilment of international obligations of States in relation to persons belonging to minorities. In particular, States shall fulfil in good faith the obligations and commitments they have assumed under international treaties and agreements to which they are parties. The Declaration cannot be used to replace or modify existing commitments under international mechanisms, and the Declaration is meant to supplement and add to other