Signaling the Government’s decision to go ahead with formulating and implementing a National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the Cabinet of Ministers this week approved the appointment of a Cabinet sub-committee, assisted by the Attorney General and other stake holders, to formulate a draft National Action Plan and make recommendations to the Cabinet expeditiously.

The Government took up the issue of National Action Plan for Human Rights at the first Cabinet meeting held after the passage in Parliament of the important 18th Amendment to the Constitution, on Wednesday.

The process of developing a National Action Plan was initiated after the voluntary pledge by the Government of Sri Lanka at the Universal Periodic Review in May 2008. Subsequently, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, with financial support from the UNDP began developing the Action Plan.

The main objectives of the National Action Plan are to achieve genuine and substantive improvements in the observance of human rights, promotion of greater awareness of human rights, both among the general public and specific sectors, and promotion of coordination of human rights activity among diverse stakeholders.

Eight drafting committees were appointed for preparation of a working draft on Civil Rights and Political Rights, Torture, Women, Children, Migrants, Internally Displaced Persons, Labour, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The far reaching recommendations made by the drafting committees include, among other matters:

Torture: Ways to ensure that practices adhere to the zero-tolerance policy of the State on prevention of torture. It has recommended improvements to the technical and technological infrastructure, strict enforcement of laws and policies and severe punishments for those who perpetrate torture.

Women: Recommendations to ensure the equitable access to services in health, education and employment for women especially in rural areas; issues of violence against women and those faced by women affected by conflict, and identifying ways to ensure protection of survivors of violence and conflict.

Civil and Political Rights: Identifying laws, policies and practices that would ensure greater realization of civil and political rights; the need for greater awareness among the general public and employees of the State on these Rights; upgrading of facilities for those detained in fiscal custody; actualizing the right to remedy that promotes human rights; and adherence to the equal protection laws under the Constitution.

Children: The Constitutional entrenchment of child rights, while ensuring that children have improved access to healthcare, nutrition, education, and care and protection. Amendments to laws governing early childhood development centres, orphanages and institutional care mechanisms; and special emphasis being paid to children who come in contact with law, and victims of abuse and exploitation.

Migrants: Ways of ensuring the rights of workers abroad; ensuring proper screening of working conditions prior to departure, increasing skills and awareness among potential migrants, as well as, special emphasis on human trafficking and smuggling and related preventive measures.

Internally Displaced Persons: Laws policies and procedures to ensure that the rights of IDPs are protected within a durable solutions framework.

Labour: The legal framework, policy and practices to ensure that they are in line with international norms and standards, with special emphasis to issues such as freedom of association, discriminatory regulations and laws and practices, and examining current practices with special focus on the rights of women and children.

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Giving effect to the progressive realization of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to ensure protection and promotion of these through the national legal framework; a paradigm shift in policy making to ensure the needs and rights of the most vulnerable sections in society drive policymaking; the equitable distribution of resources to remove regional disparities in access to basic services such as healthcare and education; and issues of religion, ethnicity and culture to ensure peaceful coexistence among all and protection of the rights of all groups.