2.0 MAIN ACTIVITIES 2.1 1st Quarter (January – March 2016) A. A High level Dialogue was conducted on 05.01. 2016 to plan and prioritize the work of HRCSL with the support of the Asia Pacific Forum. The Chairperson, Commissioners, Secretary and Deputy Secretary participated in the Dialogue. B. The Commission initiated an internship program by calling applications from under graduates and recent graduates to serve on voluntary basis. The Commission received 282 applications and after short listing and interviewing candidates 24 internships were granted and 07 Interns were placed in the Head Office, and 17 in the Regional Offices. C. The Commission in keeping with its work as per its mandate to provide advice and recommendations to the Government of Sri Lanka on policy issues to promote respect for and protection of Human Rights, established a number of SubCommittees with the membership of civil society as expert bodies on prioritized themes to contribute to the development of policy recommendations. The established Sub Committees are Rights of Migrant Workers, Rights of the Differently-abled, Education Policy, Rights of Elders, Gender Issues, Custodial Violations, Rights of Plantation Workers, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Rights of LGBTIQ Persons. D. The Commission received a letter from the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights dated 08 March 2016 in which he commended the work of the Commission. 2.2 2nd Quarter (April – June 2016) A. To strengthen the institutional mechanism of the Commission a policy on capacity development of staff of HRCSL and a HRCSL policy on information technology were introduced. B. New formats and guidelines were introduced to accept and conduct inquiries into complaints. C. The Commission also facilitated the work of the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms by appointing a focal point at the Commission to look into complaints regarding threats and harassment of those participating in the consultation process. D. The Commission printed booklets on the mandate and functions of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka with the support of UN funding. 8