Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-05-10

Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights

- The policy of the Government of Sri Lanka is to uphold, promote and protect the human rights of the people of the country. Several steps are presently being taken by the Government in that regard and this includes steps for the fulfillment of voluntary treaty obligations and measures to address human rights concerns which will complement the ongoing reconciliation process, and strengthen freedom and democracy, thus creating the necessary background for economic development. The Human Rights Action Plan implemented for the Years 2012 to 2016, will come to an end this year and therefore, the proposal made by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to appoint an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights, to prepare the National Human Rights Action Plan for the next five years from 2017 to 2021 and to address all human rights related concerns, was approved by the Cabinet.