A/HRC/31/76 turning to supporters of Amadou Koufa, without the Malian security forces, which are too few in number, being able to exert any influence whatsoever on the course of events. 57. In the Gao region, a clash occurred between members of the Dawsahak community and the Peulh communities on 21 October over a long-standing land dispute in Tassalatane (70 km to the south of Ménaka), in the Gao region, resulting in the death of three members of the Dawsahak community. On 30 October, 4 m embers of the Peulh community were killed by members of the Dawsahak community in Inékar (90 km to the east of Ménaka); according to reports, the victims included a woman and a child. The local authorities and armed groups in Ber confirmed that intercommunal clashes — triggered by the use of scarce water resources — had taken place on 1 October between Arabs and Tuaregs. Land disputes and livestock theft among members of the two communities are the main causes of these conflicts. 58. Traditional conflicts between shepherds and farmers are becoming increasingly severe, in particular because of the links that may exist between communities and groups that resort to armed violence. C. The situation of women 59. Women have been underrepresented at the decision-making level since the start of the Algiers mediation process, which began in July 2014, and women ’s representation in the implementation phase is still very low. The Ministry for the Advancement of Women, Children and the Family is not represented in t he national committee of coordination for the implementation of the Agreeme nt on Peace and Reconciliation. 60. Nonetheless, the Agreement includes, in chapter 14, provisions on the protection of women and the fight against impunity and refers in particular to the establishment of an international commission of inquiry tasked with investigating sex crimes and to the prohibition of amnesty for serious conflict-related human rights violations, including violence against women, girls and children. These provisi ons in the Agreement on the protection of women and the fight against impunity will play an important role in the integration of prevention into planned reforms in the areas of security, defence and justice. 61. The cabinet reshuffle carried out on 25 September 2015 by the President increased the representation of women within the Government from 10.3 per cent to 16.1 per cent. Women occupy 5 of the 31 ministerial posts. This could indicate a positive shift in political will, towards acceptance of the key role of women. 62. The Independent Expert is very concerned about the lack of progress in investigations and legal proceedings relating to past crimes and about the growing climate of impunity. 63. The Independent Expert, who has always paid special attentio n to violence against women, received information from two survivors of sexual violence. On 29 September 2015, in the region of Timbuktu, the women in question were raped at gunpoint by members of the Coalition du peuple pour l’Azawad (CPA) while they were travelling on public transport in Acharane (35 km to the east of Timbuktu), in Alafia commune. They were referred to Médecins sans frontières for medical and psychosocial support. 64. The Independent Expert was also informed that the number of incidents o f sexual violence had increased along the Timbuktu-Goundam road after CPA took Acharane on 24 July 2015. In addition, it is highly likely that the actual number of 12/18 GE.16-00837