A/HRC/RES/21/31
Welcoming the historic political development inside the country that, after forty-five
years, culminated in the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on 10 September 2012 as the
new President of Somalia, thus marking the end of a twelve-year transition process,
Acknowledging the commitment and efforts made by the African Union and those
States contributing to its mission to achieve security in Somalia, and supporting the efforts
of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to reconcile parts of central and south
Somalia, and those of the international community and regional stakeholders to help
Somalia to re-establish stability, peace and security on its national territory, as well as the
rule of law,
Welcoming the work of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in
Somalia and his report submitted to the Human Rights Council,2
Recalling the signing, on 11 May 2012, of the Memorandum of Understanding on
technical assistance to the Transitional Federal Government in the field of human rights by
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United
Nations Political Office for Somalia, and encouraging the Government of the Federal
Republic of Somalia to continue its efforts to implement the accepted recommendations
included in the outcome of the country’s first universal periodic review, and encourages the
United Nations system, regional bodies and all States to support the Government in these
efforts, including through bilateral assistance,
Strongly concerned about the continuing violations and abuses perpetrated against
children, including sexual violence, in particular in areas of conflict or transition in
Somalia, by State and non-State actors, including the recruitment and use of child soldiers,
and concerned about the continued death, injury and displacement of children as a result of
armed conflict, while welcoming the signing of a plan of action on 3 July 2012 to end the
recruitment and use of children by the Somalia National Armed Forces, and of the plan of
action of 6 August 2012 on ending the killing and maiming of children in armed conflict,
Expressing grave concern at the abuses and violations perpetrated against women in
Somalia, including sexual violence, and emphasizing the need for accountability for all
such abuses and violations,
Reiterating the importance of taking measures against both internal and external
actors engaged in actions aimed at undermining the peace and reconciliation process in
Somalia,
1.
Strongly condemns the grave and systematic human rights abuses and
violations perpetrated against the civilian population, including women, children,
journalists and human rights defenders, in particular by Al-Shabaab and its affiliates, and
calls for their immediate cessation;
2.
Also strongly condemns all attacks against civilians, including the heinous
terrorist attack targeting the new President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the visiting
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kenya, Sam Ongeri, and his delegation on 12 September
2012, for which responsibility was claimed by Al-Shabaab;
3.
Further strongly condemns all attacks on journalists, including the deadly
terror attack on 20 September and the assassination on 21 September 2012 of a prominent
journalist in Mogadishu, calls upon the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia to
protect the safety of the journalist, calls on all States to provide necessary technical
assistance to the Government, subnational authorities, the national union of Somali
2
2
A/HRC/21/61.