Press TV
Sunday, March 24, 2013
The United Nations independent Human Rights expert on Somalia has praised the new Somali government for its progress on human rights.
In a meeting with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud the human rights expert said that the country’s rights record has improved dramatically over the past five years.
On his part, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reiterated his commitment to improving human rights conditions in Somalia.
The Somali federal government says it’s looking forward to join the UN Human Rights Commission by improving its human rights record. Somalia’s president says that plan requires carrying out reforms in the country’s national security and judiciary”.
Somali President also said that his administration will adopt a human rights roadmap, and announce a new directorate general for human and minority rights and rule of law while working in close consultation with the UN independent human rights expert.
The president however assured that his government will place more emphasis on the promotion of the fundamental human rights especially with regards to women and children who have suffered a great deal as a result of the war.
Somalia ranks top among the countries in the world where human rights violation go unpunished. However, the UN expert called on the government to uphold and protect the principles of human rights with the assistance from the international community and the United Nations.
Human rights experts however believe that due to the absence of functioning institutions, perpetrators of human rights abuses including Al-Shabaab are rarely punished.
Despite all these improvements however, discrimination and violence against women, including rape; recruitment of child soldiers by government and Al-Shabaab continue to hinder the human rights progress in the African country.
