A/HRC/10/31 page 9 assistance programmes in this area. The Office also expanded its support for legal system monitoring. This included training for staff of peace operations and an expert workshop to explore practices, lessons learned and further guidance. 30. OHCHR has also continued to support the strengthening of accountability structures, with emphasis on mechanisms of investigations at the national and international levels. A tool recording best practices related to national commissions of inquires is being developed. Attention is also being given to the protection of witnesses. 31. As requested by the Council in its resolution 7/25, OHCHR organized a seminar on the prevention of genocide, which was held on 21 January 2009, and included the participation of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. The objective of the seminar was the discussion of preventive strategies, initiatives and mechanisms that currently exist within the United Nations human rights system, as well as the role of Member States, regional bodies and other entities in the prevention of genocide. 32. When States are unwilling or unable to genuinely investigate and prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, international justice must be provided. To close the impunity gap, States should consider deepening their cooperation with the International Criminal Court. It is essential that the independence of the Court be preserved and that no measure be taken to undermine its ability to rule on matters before it. 33. Restoring confidence in national justice systems in the aftermath of conflict remains a challenge. OHCHR has continued to lead the United Nations system on transitional justice issues. It developed nine policy tools and contributed to finalizing two sets of principles and guidelines, to assist the United Nations system, transitional administrations and civil society to better craft their responses to transitional justice needs. OHCHR tools are grounded in international standards and contain lessons learned from United Nations operations, including with regard to prosecutions, the legacy of hybrid courts, amnesties, truth commissions, reparations programmes, national consultations and vetting. An additional tool on archives is being developed. 34. To facilitate the operational use of existing standards and tools on transitional justice, in March 2008, the Office convened a regional expert workshop in Phnom Penh focusing on the tools and the legacy of hybrid courts and on reparations programmes, taking stock of transitional justice activities and further needs in the region. A similar regional workshop was convened in November 2008 in Burundi together with the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi. OHCHR also participated in the preparatory meeting on Justice and Reconciliation in Somalia, held in Djibouti on 22 and 23 November for the members of the high-level committee established in the framework of the Djibouti Agreement of June 2008 and civil society. 35. The duty of States to respect human rights while countering terrorism remains a priority for the Office. In implementing the human rights pillar of the United Nations Global CounterTerrorism Strategy, OHCHR fed into the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and guided the activities of the working group on protecting human rights while countering terrorism. An expert meeting was organized to initiate discussion and provide recommendations