HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 2.1. Key achievements This Chapter provides a summary of some of the Commission’s key achievements for the year 2018. 2.1.1. GANHRI Accreditation of HRCSL as an ‘A’ status institution The HRCSL was accredited as an ‘A’ status (fully compliant with the Paris Principles) Human Rights Institution by the Global Alliance of Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in May 2018. The Paris Principles are global standards that constitute a yardstick to assess the independence, credibility and effectiveness of a National Human Rights Institution. The ‘A’ status accreditation was a important milestone for the HRCSL which strived since 2015 to enhance the human rights situation in Sri Lanka through its mandate with a deep commitment to maintaining its independence. The Asia-Pacific Forum for National Human Rights Institutions as well as several other international and local human rights bodies encouraged HRCSL to seek fresh accreditation, in recognition of the positive impact HRCSL has had on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka since the current Commission was appointed in October 2015. The Commission was accredited as a Grade B (Partially compliant with the Paris Principles) institution on two previous occasions (in 2007 and 2009). GANHRI unites, promotes, and strengthens NHRIs to operate in line with the Paris Principles and provides leadership in the promotion and protection of human rights. While accreditation confers international recognition and protection of the HRCSL and its 25