OCHA briefs the informal Security Council Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians in Somalia

On 1 September, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) briefed the informal Security Council Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians on the issues pertaining to the protection of civilians in Somalia in advance of the renewal of the Council's authorisation of the mandate of AMISOM.

On the basis of information received from humanitarian and human rights actors in the field and at headquarters, OCHA raised the following key protection concerns:

• The general impact of ongoing conflict on civilians, including indiscriminate attacks in populated areas by all parties, intensive use of Improvised Explosive Devices, and the use of civilians as human shields;

• The increased displacement of the civilian population as a result of the drought and famine, both within Somalia and into neighbouring countries, and the deterioration of the security situation in the camps for internally displaced persons.

• Restrictions on humanitarian access, including denial of access by armed opposition groups and the taxation and looting of humanitarian assistance;

• Human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, attacks against journalists and the excessive use of force against civilians by members of the security forces operating without clear structure and chain of command;

• The impact of hostilities on children and women, including children being recruited and used by all parties, the killing and maiming of children, and numerous instances of sexual and gender based violence.

The Security Council Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians is an informal forum chaired by the United Kingdom that was established at the beginning of 2009, in which OCHA - on behalf of the humanitarian community - brings to the attention of the Security Council current key protection concerns in a particular context on its agenda.