HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2018 RESEARCH AND MONITORING 4.1. Thematic sub-committees In 2016 HRCSL appointed 9 sub-committees on specific thematic issues. The Sub-Committees were expected to review legislation, policies, and official practices pertaining to each theme in order to make recommendations to the Commission on the policy interventions to be made to the Government of Sri Lanka pursuant to its mandate under section 10 of HRCSL Act No 21 of 1996. Further, the Sub-Committees were expected to advise the Commission on required policy and practical interventions on respective issues. The subcommittees are; 1. Sub-Committee on Persons with Disabilities 2. Sub-Committee on Education Policy (from a human rights perspective) 3. Sub-Committee on the Rights of LGBTIQ Persons 4. Sub-Committee on Plantation Workers’ Rights 5. Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture and Custodial Violations 6. Sub-Committee on Gender 7. Sub-Committee on Rights of Elders 8. Sub-Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural rights 9. Sub-Committee on Migrant Workers’ Rights The membership of the sub-committees comprises experts and civil society activists. Each Committee is chaired by one or more Commissioners while HRCSL staff members act as secretaries to each sub-committee. During 2018, the sub-committee on persons with disabilities reviewed the draft legislation on the rights of persons with disabilities and forwarded their comments to the Ministry of Social Empowerment & 63