A/HRC/19/72 closing of schools for several months in most of the country, and more than 200 cases of looting or destruction of schools. At the height of the crisis at least a million children were deprived of schooling, while 150 schools need to be renovated and re-equipped. 79. According to some humanitarian actors, in the country’s western region thousands of children are denied their right to education by unsafe conditions and by population movements. 80. The independent expert also noted that many people have lost their identity documents and are consequently unable to access educational services or mechanisms to recover property and obtain compensation for losses. The independent expert has been informed of the large number of children who, because of the crisis, have not been able to obtain birth certificates. 81. Malnutrition remains a problem throughout the country. According to the authorities, more than 30 per cent of the population suffers from malnutrition. In 2000 the level of chronic malnutrition in Côte d’Ivoire was 25.4 per cent. In 2006, with the grave crisis of September 2002, the level rose to 34 per cent. In 2011 the rate reached 27.3 per cent. In some regions, such as the north and west, the level is quite critical. The level in the western region of 37.7 per cent is particularly worrisome. In the west and south-west the area of cultivated land has decreased because of population movements and difficulty getting seeds and other agricultural inputs. 82. The expert notes that the Government’s policy whereby public health establishments should provide free care is not always followed in some parts of the country. 83. The issue of land rights in Côte d’Ivoire has been exacerbated by the various crises since 1999 and the resulting population movements and remains a major cause of intracommunity conflict, especially in the west. This situation is a major impediment to achieving peace and stability in the country, as well as to economic and social development, which in turn hinders efforts to reduce extreme poverty and implement sustainable environmental policies. 84. The Rural Land Act, which was passed on 18 December 1998 and promulgated on 23 December 1998, along with the regulations implementing it (3 decrees and 15 implementing orders) form the legal framework which makes it possible to convert customary (unwritten) rights into modern property rights and to secure access to land by those holding rural lands under customary law, as well as those with no access to land ownership. 85. Despite the application of this law, land issues remain a source of conflict. Such conflicts can be viewed as challenges to property rights which hinder social cohesion and result in lower agricultural production and in population movements. IV. Conclusions and recommendations A. Conclusions 86. Despite improved security, Côte d’Ivoire remains a fragile country that is recovering from several successive crises and still faces numerous challenges relating to security reform, economic recovery, peacebuilding and reconciliation. 87. In this context, the comprehensive protection and promotion of human rights remains an absolute priority and is a factor in the voluntary and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees. GE.12-10060 15