A/HRC/RES/39/23
creating the conditions for Somalia to establish political institutions and to extend State
authority, which are key to laying the foundations for a staged transfer of security
responsibility to Somali security forces,
Recognizing also the role that women have played and will continue to play in
community mobilization and peacebuilding in Somali society, the need to take special
measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence and all other forms of
violence in situations of armed conflict, to end impunity and prosecute those responsible for
violence against women and girls, and the importance of promoting their economic
empowerment and participation in political and public decision-making processes,
including within Parliament and at all levels of government, in accordance with Security
Council resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 on women, peace and security,
1.
Welcomes the commitment of the Federal Government of Somalia to improve
the situation of human rights in Somalia, and in that regard also welcomes:
(a)
The progressive improvement in the human rights context in Somalia, not
least through progress towards the ambitious goals set out in the New Partnership for
Somalia and the National Development Framework of Somalia to promote stability and
development with respect for human rights by, inter alia, strengthening the rule of law,
promoting inclusivity in political decision-making, particularly for women, young persons,
minorities and persons with disabilities, delivering a constitutional settlement that
guarantees freedoms of expression and association, and addressing security threats in a
manner that respects human rights obligations and protects civilians;
(b)
The landmark political agreement between the Federal Government and
federal Member States, which paves the way for the drafting, consultation and passage of
an electoral law by December 2018 as a first step towards realizing historic one-person,
one-vote elections in 2020 and, in particular, the commitment of the Federal Government,
federal Member States and the National Independent Election Commission to protect
inclusivity in terms of ensuring equal participation and representation of women in
decision-making, as well as of displaced persons, young persons, persons with disabilities,
minorities and all members of disadvantaged groups, at all stages of the electoral cycle;
(c)
The cooperation between representatives of the Federal Government and
federal Member States, youth groups, women, civil society organizations, professional
associations, religious scholars, members of the Somali diaspora, persons with disabilities
and traditional elders convention in May 2018 to launch the constitutional review process in
Mogadishu, recognizing the importance of an inclusive and Somali-led process that delivers
a political settlement supporting ongoing efforts in peace, development and the enjoyment
of all human rights in Somalia;
(d) The formulation of the transition plan, which defines transition as the
emergence of effective Somali security institutions and the progressive handover of
responsibility from the African Union Mission in Somalia towards increased Somali
ownership for its citizens’ security, appreciating, in particular, that this approach is
underpinned by a focus on the rule of law, reconciliation, justice, respect for human rights
and the protection of women and girls, and children;
(e)
The continued commitment of the Federal Government, federal Member
States and the Banadir Regional Authority to improve representation, inclusion and the
participation of women in public and political affairs and, in particular, in leadership roles;
(f)
The Federal Government’s endorsement of the Charter for Change at the
Global Disability Summit in July 2018, and its commitment to entrench the rights of
persons with disabilities in social, educational, political and economic life through the firstever bill on national disability for Somalia and other legislative mechanisms, improving the
collection of data on persons with disabilities and by approving the creation of a national
disability agency;
(g)
The work undertaken by the Ministry for Women and Human Rights
Development as the lead body of the Federal Government to advance the human rights
agenda in Somalia, together with the progress in the establishment of a national human
rights commission to monitor and provide accountability for violations and abuses,
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