Significant steps adopted to address national reconciliation:
National policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment:
National Women’s Commission proposed to be established:
Sri Lanka while expressing support to 173 recommendations during the fourth Cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday rejected six recommendations that had reference to HRC Resolutions 30, 46, 51.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Himali Arunathilake said that these recommendations cannot be considered due the government’s state position on those resolutions. She said that Sri Lanka received 294 recommendations and all recommendations were carefully examined by the Government.
“In deciding our response, it was necessary to take into consideration Sri Lanka’s domestic legal and constitutional framework and those scope of national policy priorities and plans”, she said.
The Ambassador informed the UNHRC about the significant steps adopted by Sri Lanka
to address national reconciliation issues while at the same time making every effort to pursue economic reforms to mitigate the recent challenges faced by the country.
“Following this extensive process, Sri Lanka has decided to support 173 recommendations and take note of 115,”Arunathilake said.
She said that two thirds of the recommendations received pertaining to the independence of the National Human Rights Commission is also supported, including those referring to the provision of adequate resources for it to carry out its tasks effectively in accordance with the Paris Principles.
“Sri Lanka remains committed to pursuing efforts to achieve tangible progress in national reconciliation through domestic mechanisms with the assistance of international partners,” she said.
“Discussions are being held on the contours of a truth and reconciliation mechanism that would suit Sri Lanka in keeping with its constitutional framework. The advisory committee appointed to work on this matter will continue consultations with relevant stakeholders with a view to facilitating the drafting of required legislation,”, the ambassador added.
She said that the Children in Sri Lanka have access to free education in the public sector at all levels. “The Government supports all recommendations on education, including those relating to human rights education, and access to education for persons with disabilities and in rural areas”, the ambassador said.
“Measures are being taken to address violence against women through the adoption of a national policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. In this regard, necessary measures will also be taken to amend the legislation on divorce, to include domestic violence and divorce by mutual consent, as valid grounds.
An independent “National Women’s Commission” proposed to be established, will include in its mandate, giving leadership on legal and policy reforms, and making recommendations to Parliament for interventions on issues of gender equity and equality. An independent Ombudswoman on gender issues is also to be appointed under the Office of the Ombudsperson to investigate and provide redress for injustices against individual women in the public sector,” she said.
Mahinda Aluthgedara
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