Institution Building Violent conflicts and crises can have a devastating impact on the institutional set-up required for sustainable peace and democracy. When political and human rights institutions are not functioning, cultures of impunity can be created that severely limit efforts to establish good governance and the rule of law.9 Media outlets play a particular role and must operate on the basis of professional and ethical standards. If institutions are to survive the turbulent transition toward democracy or be rebuilt in a post-conflict setting, they must be made stronger and more resilient, thereby avoiding collapse under the first sign of stress. The OSCE has been actively involved in supporting institution building in South-Eastern Europe. This has included capacity building and assistance in establishing relevant legal frameworks. Among others, the OSCE has contributed to the development of independent human rights institutions, electoral management bodies, political assemblies, the media, and key components of the justice and security sectors. The OSCE has also supported transitional arrangements in cases where local institutions were not yet ready to take on their full range of responsibilities. 9  Cliffe/Manning (2006). 27