appropriate, to communities (including national minorities) that have been affected by serious human rights violations in the context of communal conflict. This can be achieved through several means: i. Institutional reform/vetting of State employees54 To re-establish trust, prevent the repetition of human rights violations and ensure the protection of human rights (including minority rights) in post-conflict situations, State institutions (and, in particular, military, law-enforcement and judicial bodies) should be reformed to consolidate the rule of law and guarantee public accountability. An important part of this process consists of reforming the normative framework (laws, by-laws and professional standards) under which these institutions operate to ensure it is compatible with international human rights standards. Regarding the security sector (military and lawenforcement), reform should aim to increase civilian control, ensure democratic accountability, and improve governance and effectiveness. As for the judiciary, reform should seek to increase its independence, impartiality, accessibility (including for persons belonging to national minorities) and effectiveness. Minority communities should be involved in the reform process, not least to ensure that reforms tackle the causes of systemic discrimination in these institutions. Another important reform can include vetting individuals working for State institutions to ensure that they meet basic standards of integrity and professionalism and have not been involved in serious human rights violations, including against persons belonging to national minorities. While vetting does not constitute a legal remedy as such, it is nonetheless a form of accountability and demonstrates the State’s commitment to justice for victims, including victims from minority communities. Vetting schemes also make it possible to hold perpetrators accountable when the prosecution of all perpetrators is not possible. If done as follows, vetting is an important measure to rebuild national minorities’ trust in the State and its institutions. A vetting programme generally includes three main phases. The first phase consists of registering staff in the institution being vetted. Second, applicants are assessed against criteria set for State employees as well as on the basis of information they provide alongside other information obtained through independent sources (e.g. victims, civil society organizations, minority 54 See UN Security Council (2004) Report of the Secretary-General: The Rule of Law and Transitional Justice in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies, section XV. 38 The Graz Recommendations on Access to Justice and National Minorities