A/HRC/19/51 III. Background A. Political context and recent developments on the ground 7. During the period under review, Yemen continued to witness varied levels of violence throughout the country, ranging from sporadic outbursts of violence to situations of protracted armed confrontation. Force was used in the context of armed confrontations between Government forces and armed opposition groups, between non-State armed groups, and by Government forces against unarmed civilians exercising their right to peaceful assembly. After a relative lull in early December following the adoption of an agreement paving the way for a transitional government and presidential elections, political, tribal and sectarian tensions continue and the prospect of degeneration into civil strife remain high. Large parts of the country, including entire governorates and substantial parts of Sanaa and Ta’izz, appear to be under partial or total control of non-State armed groups. The ongoing unrest is contributing to an increasingly dire humanitarian situation by restricting public access to health services, food, water, fuel, electricity and schooling. Economic activities have ground to a halt in most sectors, and many Yemenis have lost their livelihoods. 8. On 21 October, the Security Council adopted resolution 2014 (2011), its first on Yemen, in which it strongly condemned the continued human rights violations by the Yemeni authorities and the human rights abuses perpetrated by other actors, and stressed that all those responsible for violence, human rights violations and abuses should be held accountable. The Council also demanded that the Yemeni authorities ensure that their actions comply with obligations under applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, and that all opposition groups refrain from violence and cease the use of force to achieve political gains. 9. The Government of Yemen and leading members of the opposition signed an agreement on 23 November in Riyadh. The agreement, on the implementation mechanism for the transition process in Yemen in accordance with the initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Council, paved the way for a transition process leading to early elections on 21 February 2012. The Vice-President was selected as the consensus candidate to be leader ad interim during the process. 10. A number of steps were taken to carry out the first phase of the agreement. Firstly, Prime Minister Basendwa oversaw the formation of a new Government of national unity – a coalition of the General People’s Congress, the Joint Meeting of Parties opposition coalition and independent figures that were sworn into the new 34-member Cabinet on 10 December by Vice-President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The new Cabinet includes only three female ministers, despite pledges in the agreement to improve women’s representation. Secondly, the Vice-President established the Military Committee for Achieving Security and Stability, consisting of senior security officials from both Government forces and forces supporting the opposition. While the Committee has to date focused its work on Sanaa, it undertook a brief visit to Ta’izz. 11. The signing of the above-mentioned agreement for the transition was accompanied by widespread protests and criticism by activists and human rights groups. In particular, there was strong opposition to the provision, in the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, of a broad amnesty for the President and his associates. Activists and rights groups called for accountability for crimes committed, in particular since the beginning of the unrest. Violent clashes ensued, initially in Sanaa, then in Ta’izz. During the visit, the delegation noted a general situation of calm in Sanaa, as Government security forces gradually withdrew from 5