A/HRC/FMI/2014/2 A. Understanding the root causes of violence and atrocity crimes against minorities 16. A greater understanding of the causes of violence affecting minorities is essential if the violence is to be prevented effectively. Participants will be encouraged to share their experience and perspectives regarding the causes of violence and conflict. They will discuss challenges and rights violations experienced by minorities leading to violence. They will consider the situations, environments, processes and factors leading to violence and atrocity crimes, including deficits in good governance, rule of law or in the respect for human rights. Participants will consider what factors and rights violations, such as exclusion, discrimination and inequality make minorities vulnerable. The Forum will identify how patterns of discrimination against a particular minority in the political, social, economic and cultural spheres can translate into abuse and systematic violation of basic human rights and can escalate into atrocity crimes. In addition to the role of State institutions, the Forum will also consider the role of the media, national and international business and other non-State actors. B. Improving the prevention of violence and of atrocity crimes 17. Participants will be encouraged to share their experience of how violence can be prevented and how the implementation of minority rights can help achieve this. Participants will consider such issues as: the role of education; challenges and opportunities in legislative and judicial reforms; constructive management of diversity; and security and policing measures. They will seek to identify positive initiatives including in institution building and political participation. They will consider the role that can be played by national Governments, national human rights institutions, minorities themselves and civil society in preventing violence. Participants may suggest solutions to remove the threat of violence from societies, including measures to address hate speech before it turns into acts of violent hate crime, and initiatives to build understanding and social cohesion.6 The role of the media and other actors in preventing such violence will also be examined. The Forum will discuss what channels of communication and information exchange exist to alert the international community when national measures to prevent violence fail, and what action can be taken in order to act effectively at an early stage. After violence breaks out — essential measures for resolution, protection and security C. 18. The Forum will consider the particular challenges of responding to violence after it has broken out. Participants will be encouraged to consider practical steps that could be taken to resolve tensions and halt violence. They will also be encouraged to reflect on the following: the role of dialogue, mediation and negotiation and steps to ensure they take place; the role of leaders (community/political/religious) once conflict has erupted; the role of national institutions, including the judiciary and national human rights institutions in responding to the outbreak of violence against minorities; and accountability and impunity issues. The Forum will consider the role of civil society actors and their activities in the aftermath of ongoing violence against minorities; monitoring, security and protection measures to protect vulnerable communities; the importance of rapid response measures; and measures to ensure the protection of minorities caught up in wider national conflicts. 6 See Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, general recommendation No. 35, in which the Committee underlines the role of racist hate speech in processes leading to mass violations of human rights and genocide. 7