A/HRC/40/77 63. The Independent Expert is convinced that combating impunity is key to resolving the crisis in Mali. The Malian State should thus allocate significant resources for this effort if it intends to demonstrate its willingness to address this issue. 64. There can be no productive discussions to further peace and development without involving women and young people of all social backgrounds. The Independent Expert welcomes the commitment made by Mali in that regard during the universal periodic review. 65. Security measures alone will not remedy the situation in the centre and north of the country. Moreover, the security response mounted by the Malian authorities does not comply with international human rights standards. 66. The Independent Expert wishes to highlight the crucial role that Malian civil society has played throughout the crisis, particularly by drawing the attention of the Malian authorities and the international community to human rights concerns in the country. He encourages civil society to continue working to defend the rights of vulnerable people. In this respect, he would like to stress the importance for civil society of becoming more involved in combating the radicalization of young people and the violent extremism of some religious leaders. B. Recommendations 67. The Independent Expert reiterates his previous recommendations and makes the additional recommendations set out below. 68. The Independent Expert recommends that the Malian authorities: (a) Give the necessary priority to the protection of civilians, particularly in the centre and north of the country, where intercommunal conflict has taken on troubling proportions, and continue their efforts to restore State authority in those parts of the country; (b) Become increasingly engaged in the promotion of good governance with a view to building public trust in government action; (c) Conduct thorough, fair and impartial investigations in order to identify the perpetrators of human rights abuses and violations and take specific measures to put an end to the culture of impunity that has led to the perpetration of serious human rights violations and abuses by armed groups and the Malian defence and security forces; (d) Work actively to give effect to the recommendations made as part of the universal periodic review and by the treaty bodies, in particular the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, not least the recommendations to: • Investigate allegations of human rights violations committed by all parties, including Malian defence and security forces • Abolish the death penalty and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty • Adopt a legal mechanism to combat child and early marriage (e) Pass the bill on gender-based violence into law and take measures to prevent and combat such violence; (f) Ensure that women participate more fully in the peace process under way in the country; (g) Amend and adopt the Child Protection Code; (h) Make subregional cooperation on security, development, humanitarian assistance and refugee protection issues more robust. 14 GE.19-00939