A/HRC/12/50 restore confidence in the institutions of the State and promote the rule of law in accordance with international human rights law; 5. Underlines the fact that truth-seeking processes, such as truth and reconciliation commissions, that investigate patterns of past human rights violations and their causes and consequences are important tools that can complement judicial processes and, when established, such mechanisms have to be designed within a specific societal context and to be founded on broad national consultations with the inclusion of victims and civil society, including non-governmental organizations; 6. Stresses the need within a sustainable transitional justice strategy to develop national prosecutorial capacities that are based on a clear commitment to combat impunity, to take into account the victim’s perspective and to ensure compliance with human rights obligations concerning fair trials; 7. Reaffirms the responsibility of States to comply with their relevant obligations to prosecute those responsible for gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law constituting crimes under international law, with a view to ending impunity; 8. Notes with interest the conclusion of the Secretary-General that peace agreements endorsed by the United Nations can never promise amnesties for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and gross violations of human rights; 9. Emphasizes that a human rights approach should be incorporated into vetting processes that are part of institutional reform aiming at preventing the recurrence of human rights violations; 10. Also emphasizes that justice, peace, democracy and development are mutually reinforcing imperatives; 11. Welcomes the fact that a growing number of peace agreements contain provisions for transitional justice processes, such as truth-seeking, prosecution initiatives, reparations programmes and institutional reform, and do not provide for blanket amnesties; 12. Stresses the importance of a comprehensive process of national consultation, particularly with those affected by human rights violations, in contributing to a holistic transitional justice strategy that takes into account the particular circumstances of every situation and is in conformity with human rights; 13. Underlines the importance of giving vulnerable groups, including those marginalized for political, socio-economic or other reasons, a voice in these processes and to ensure that discrimination, the root causes of conflict and violations of all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, are addressed; 14. Recognizes the important role played in the realization of transitional justice goals and in the reconstruction of the society, as well as in the promotion of the rule of law and accountability, by: (a) Victims’ associations, human rights defenders and other actors of civil society, as well as national human rights institutions created in conformity with the Paris Principles; (b) Women’s organizations in the design, establishment and implementation of transitional justice mechanisms, so as to ensure that women are represented in their structures and that a gender perspective is reflected in their mandates and work; (c) Free and independent media in informing the public about the human rights dimension in the area of transitional justice mechanisms locally, nationally and internationally; 24