A/HRC/18/48 93. The Government should bear in mind that accountability for civilian casualties in the context of the armed conflict and for loss of life resulting from the excessive use of force is critical for the proper respect of human rights and humanitarian law. While war and conflict are a serious impediment to credible investigations, it is necessary to at least establish mechanisms that strengthen the commitment of the Government and start the process. The mechanisms should be credible, transparent and impartial, in keeping with applicable international law. 94. The Government must adopt a strong human rights-based approach to security sector reform, with a particular focus on the identification of cases of violence against women, protection of victims and evidence-gathering. At the same time, it is vital that permanent, effective mechanisms are established to hold the perpetrators of such egregious violations, be they members of the armed forces, rebels or regular citizens, fully accountable. 95. The Somali authorities at the national and subnational levels should consider establishing police stations near the camps for internally displaced persons, including women’s desks staffed by female police officers. 96. The Transitional Federal Government should set up a fool-proof system to ensure that its policy of not recruiting children into the Somali national forces is strictly enforced by all concerned and the age limit is fully respected through strengthened vetting processes. The Government, together with AMISOM, must publicize its policy of zero tolerance on the use of children in armed conflict as often and as widely as possible, and ensure its strict observance with the support of UNICEF, under the oversight of a multipartite commission. 97. The Transitional Federal Government should take the measures necessary to stop all attacks against journalists and media organizations, and empower media workers to make their contribution at this critical juncture of the transition process and constitution-making. Media workers should behave professionally and abide by the ethics and principles governing freedom of expression and opinion. 98. The Government should launch a national awareness campaign on the situation of Somali women, and consider setting up specific funding channels to support local organizations involved in the protection of women’s rights and to provide assistance to victims of sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination. 99. The Government should consider inviting refugees from camps in neighbouring countries with the necessary background to return home to help in its efforts to open schools and hospitals, as foreseen in the Prime Minister’s vision of opening one school and one hospital a month in south-central Somalia. 100. The independent expert commends the Prime Minister’s expressed wish that Transitional Federal Government forces should gradually take over the protection of Somali institutions and citizens, bearing in mind that Somalia cannot depend for ever on AMISOM to ensure its security. 101. The Transitional Federal Government should take all measures necessary to address the lack of effective command and control structures and poor discipline among some Government troops, which have resulted in recurring violence. 102. While all parties to the conflict should respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law, the Transitional Federal Government should take the lead. All those who perpetrate abuses against the civilian population, in transgression of such obligations, should be held accountable in a timely and transparent manner. 18