Institution Building 1. Ombudsperson institutions Following an agreement between conflict parties, the OSCE was appointed as one of the international bodies responsible for the establishment of democratic institutions. Also appointed was the local Office of the Ombudsperson, which had been established as the principal protector and guarantor of human rights and the rule of law in the country. With a special jurisdiction, it serves as the central institution for the protection from discrimination, as well as the protection of civil, political, social, economic, cultural, and minority rights. In recent years, the ombudsperson office has undergone significant restructuring, resulting in the creation of a unified institution with several field offices. To achieve a greater presence in different parts of the country, the OSCE supported the opening of other offices in several locations where the Ombudsperson’s presence was insufficient. Furthermore, the OSCE supported the efforts of the Ombudsperson to gain greater financial and political independence, to participate in various international forums, and to improve the capacities of the Ombudsperson’s professional staff, for example, in reporting adequately to the UN. A case management system, supported and implemented by the OSCE, was established to ensure that cases were assigned to lawyers in different offices, irrespective of where the complaint was submitted. This innovation significantly improved the ombudsperson office’s efficiency and allowed for the impact of its work to be better measured. 28