A/HRC/15/48 displacement. One in six Somali children countrywide and one in five in south and central regions were malnourished, while in Mogadishu there was a notable increase in the number of admissions of malnourished children to feeding centres. 34. It was not clear whether the suspension of World Food Programme food assistance in 2009 in areas under the control of Al–Shabaab and its allies in the south–central region had a serious negative impact on the nutrition situation there. In the interim period, agencies were focusing on nutritional interventions such as supplementary and therapeutic feeding centres. Food aid was still continuing in Mogadishu, where many of the most vulnerable persons were located, and in some areas of Central and North Somalia, a total of nearly 1.8 million people were receiving some form food assistance. H. Right to education 35. During two decades of conflict, almost two generations of Somali boys and girls have been denied the benefit of a full education. Existing education systems, already limited in their scope, have been severely affected by the conflict. Somalis have nevertheless managed to organize strong networks of independent and private schooling in many parts of the country. The traditional education system – Madrasas and Quranic schools – is filling the gap left by formal schooling. I. Right to justice 36. The absence over many years of a central government left the Somali population mostly in the hands of clan–based local authorities with militia powers. Islamist insurgents subsequently joined the fray. Combined with inefficient or ineffective systems, this long left the civilian population without effective legal recourse. Under these conditions, there is no mechanism to bring justice to the victims or any measure of accountability for perpetrators of the crimes. This led to the prevalence of a culture of impunity and the breakdown of any value system that leads to respect for rule of law and human rights. The question of impunity is at the core of the ongoing conflict in Somalia. This probably was one of the most neglected aspects of the Somali conflict. III. Human rights in Somaliland 37. The trip of the independent expert to Hargeisa, Somaliland, was very short mainly because of limited flight possibilities. However, despite his short stay, the independent expert was grateful to have been received by the new President of Somaliland, Mohamed Mahmud Silanyo, within two days of him assuming office. The assumption of office in Somaliland by the new President had created new hope not only for Somaliland but also for Somalia as a whole. 38. The independent expert told President Silanyo, inter alia, that the international community had high hopes that Somaliland would set an example of good governance for the region which would be based on principles of human rights and respect for the human person. He welcomed the President’s decision to dismantle the much criticized regional security committees which had served as arbitrary instruments in the hands of the executive without due process. He added that the President would have the opportunity to revise the Somaliland Human Rights Commission Act that the previous Government had enacted and make it fully compliant with the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles). 10

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