A/HRC/48/11 the national electoral security task force had pledged to fully safeguard the safety and security of women candidates and delegates during and after the 2021 elections. 18. The Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development had developed a bill that would criminalize all types of female genital mutilation and had focused on educating different communities on its harmful effects and how to work with the Federal Government in order to eliminate that harmful traditional practice. Somalia was also in the process of reviewing the zero-tolerance policy regarding female genital mutilation to operationalize the implementation of the law against female genital mutilation, once it was approved by the parliament and enacted. Various federal member states had initiated dialogues at the community level to discuss female genital mutilation, its effects, and how communities could address the practice to develop gradual social and behavioural change. 19. Regarding child protection, Somalia had made progress on the prevention of the recruitment of child soldiers. The Ministry of Defence had continued the implementation of the national action plan on ending and preventing the recruitment and use of children and the action plan on killing and maiming of children in armed conflict, with a related standard operating procedure being developed. 20. The Federal Government, through the National Intelligence and Security Agency, had developed a vetting system for children who defected from terrorist groups. Clan elders and community leaders were engaged to guarantee that recruits were not persons who had previously committed serious crimes, while the Ministry of Defence was establishing a comprehensive vetting mechanism to ensure that individuals responsible for serious human rights violations did not enter or remain in the security forces. 21. A national defectors rehabilitation programme under the Ministry of Internal Security had been established; under the programme, the Government was working with civil society organizations on providing shelter to minors who had withdrawn from terrorist groups. Former child fighters had been successfully disengaged and handed over for rehabilitation and for reintegration into their communities. 22. The Federal Government, in cooperation with line ministries, was finalizing a strategy and operational framework on the prevention of child recruitment, and the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and groups. 23. The Government believed that targeting journalists and other human rights defenders was a serious crime that needed to be addressed by all actors involved. In 2018, the Ministry of Information had engaged the Attorney General’s Office to open a line of communication regarding detained journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders. That special cooperation would allow rapid action to be taken in cases where there was suspicion that a journalist was being detained. Advocacy from civil society organizations and media associations had played a key role, which was encouraged by the Federal Government and the federal member states. 24. The Government was planning to draft a policy to address attacks on, and arbitrary detention of, journalists. The Ministry of Information also had a policy regarding the killing of journalists, and had stated that the Federal Government would investigate such crimes. Some federal member states had affirmed their commitment to enforce article 18 of the Provisional Federal Constitution, which guaranteed the right to freedom of expression. There were coordinated efforts towards the identification and reporting of violations, including the training of journalists on human rights-based reporting, which began in June 2018. 25. The review and redrafting of the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code had not yet been concluded, and was not ready for public consultations. Once finalized, the new Penal Code would be in line with international criminal code standards, would protect fundamental and human rights, and would include provisions to combat all forms of crime, especially against marginalized groups, such as children, women, minorities and displaced persons. Once the Ministry of Justice finalized the drafting of the new Penal Code, the Government would conduct a human rights review of the Code, and ensure that human rights norms and standards were fully anchored in the Code. The draft of the new Penal Code was expected to be ready in 2022. 4