A/HRC/27/69 the five areas of education, health, water, poverty alleviation and social peace. This initiative of linking development to human rights, particularly in the rural areas of the Sudan, is commendable and should be effectively sustained and replicated in other parts of the country. 15. It was evident that armed conflicts continued to be a major cause of human rights violations in South Kordofan State. The problem of unexploded ordnances and the need for demining in the conflict areas was emphasized by the United Nations representatives in the State, who reported civilian casualties from unexploded ordnances. The Independent Expert has called the attention of the Government of the Sudan and relevant United Nations mine action teams to help in addressing this problem. Blue Nile 16. In Blue Nile State, the Independent Expert held meetings with the Governor and other State officials, including the head of the Humanitarian Affairs Commission in the State. He also had discussions on the humanitarian situation with United Nations agencies, international relief organizations, and civil society organizations working in the State. The conflicts in Blue Nile State have also adversely affected the situation of human rights there. Representatives of civil society organizations emphasized the need for peace to facilitate real improvement in the human rights situation in the State. The problem of landmines also exists in the conflict areas of Blue Nile State and needs to be urgently addressed. 17. Outside the Sudan, the Independent Expert attended the 3rd Civil Society Forum on Sudan and South Sudan held in Addis Ababa from 20 to 22 January 2014, where he met and discussed the human rights situation in the Sudan with different civil society representatives. He also met with representatives of Sudanese civil society and other international civil society organizations in London, and had useful engagements with the Permanent Representative of the Sudan to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva during the reporting period. 18. In his engagements with the Government of the Sudan and all other stakeholders, the Independent Expert aimed at assessing the Government’s efforts towards the practical improvement of the situation of human rights on the ground, as recommended in his previous report. To that end he reiterated the need for the Government to adopt a resultoriented approach to its human rights obligations, and offered technical advice to the Government on the necessary steps it needed to take in that regard. III. Appraisal of the human rights situation 19. In his previous report, the Independent Expert mentioned that the Government of the Sudan had adopted relevant legislation and policies aimed at improving the human rights situation in the country. This remains the case during this reporting period. Two notable examples are the passage of a new Human Trafficking Act in January 2014, which is a welcome step towards combating the increasing problem of human trafficking in the country, and the adoption by the National Commission on Human Rights of a promising four-year national strategic plan for 2014 to 2018. However, implementation still remains protracted and there have been no significant visible improvements in the protection of human rights on the ground since 2013. 20. In its engagement with the Independent Expert, the Government insisted that it was making every effort, within the prevailing political and conflict situation, to improve the practical situation of human rights on the ground. While he acknowledged the Government’s commitment and openness to a constructive dialogue during his visits, the 6