should also be predicated on the considerable extent to which women are the moulders, guardians and agents of change in their communities. • Another group of victims that has been overlooked in many transitional justice consultations is children. Only recently have consultation exercises started to pay attention to their viewpoints. Children should be approached only by specially trained personnel and the principle of the best interest of the child should be kept at the forefront. Every effort must be made to avoid re-traumatizing children or to convey to them any sense that they themselves are responsible for the problems of their country or for finding the solutions. • Account also needs to be taken of the voices of those civil society groups that either represent victims or otherwise convey their concerns and demands. It is important, however, to ensure that victims’ groups really represent the victims’ views. • Other stakeholders may include civil, traditional and religious leaders, political representatives, national human rights institutions, professional organizations, the media, trades unions and the business community, the security forces, including the police and army, other former combatants, educationalists and academics, or diplomatic missions, representatives of international organizations and the donor community. • Stakeholder views may be expressed in other contexts than direct consultations, such as in peace conferences, debates in the media, parliament and workshops. Consultations can also consider the findings of international human rights monitoring bodies. X. Additional protection considerations during the consultations • Consultations should be undertaken in a manner that demonstrates respect for the dignity of victims and others affected by human rights violations. They should be conducted with a sense of propriety and in a manner that is culturally sensitive to local conditions. Consultation experts should conduct themselves in culturally appropriate ways, heeding local conventions regarding such issues as diet, dress and behaviour. • Every possible measure should be taken to avoid exposing individuals or communities to undue risk, such as the publicization of their particular views. Specific attribution of views must be on the basis of a clear agreement with regard to privacy and confidentiality. • An enabling and protective national legal environment for consultations must be in place, ensuring that people are not at risk of prosecution for anything they might say. 33