Institution Building initiating outreach activities with all communities and in creating close contacts with representatives of civil society. 5. Lessons learned The OSCE has been engaged in building and supporting functioning institutions that are essential to democratic governance and the rule of law, and has taken a proactive role in raising awareness about the need for such institutions. The establishment of effective democratic institutions was seen as particularly important in transitions to stability and in the building of sustainable peace in post-conflict environments. Strong democratic institutions, based firmly on the rule of law, facilitate co-operative approaches to problem-solving, thereby playing a key role in terms of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Establishing robust institutions is, therefore, crucial in fostering norms for co-operation. When developing and establishing such institutions, a strong emphasis has to be placed on internal democratic governance, transparency, and ethical conduct. In addition, in multi-ethnic societies, specific consideration has to be given to the equitable representation of all communities and their interests in the work of the institutions. This will help to build trust and confidence. In the same vein, the ability of communities to access public services in their mother tongue is of key importance and should be high on the agenda when developing and establishing inclusive democratic institutions. 36