III - Removal of cut outs and banners A meeting was conducted with the participation of the Elections Commissioner and with key state agencies that were alleged by Election Monitoring teams to have displayed posters and banners in favour of politicians. Public officials undertook to remove all cut outs and banners which were displayed at government owned premises. IV - Using media during the period of elections The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka supported the Department of Elections Commission in preparing media guidelines to be followed/ policies to be observed by the electronic print media during a referendum or an election. V - Women’s Participation in politics A meeting was held on 23.06.2015 with the Elections Commissioner, representatives of the Presidential Secretariat, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Ministry of Justice and Civil Society as follow up to the CEDAW recommendation on women’s political participation and to promote the national initiatives for women’s political participation. The Human Rights Commission issued letters (dated 07 th July 2015) to all Secretaries of the political parties requesting them to give serious consideration to the inclusion of women in the preparation of nomination lists. VI - Voting rights of a marginalized group The Human Rights Commission intervened on its own motion to ensure voting rights of the fishing community living in the islands of Kalpitiya peninsula. The Commissioner of Elections informed the Commission that action was taken to provide transportation to them to the polling center. 33

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