Other activities of JAMAKON in • regard to Research and Policy Development: Apart from the above, in 2014 JAMAKON facilitated a number of activities under this focal area: • JAMAKON submitted a draft Antidiscrimination law to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJPA) for their next course of actions. A number of workshops and seminars were conducted in this regard. • • JAMAKON intimated its recommendations to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJPA) for amending the NHRC Act, 2009 to comply with the recommendations from the International Coordinating Committee for NHRIS (ICC) to obtain “A” status with the ICC (JAMAKON, currently, only has “B” status). The ICC recommendations concerned the composition of the Selection Committee of Members of the JAMAKON; JAMAKON’s recruitment rules; and JAMAKON’s financial independence. JAMAKON Child Rights Committee organized a number of consultations in order to mobilize support for the draft Child Marriage Restraint Act and in April 2014 the new draft law was sent to the concerned ministry for its consideration. Following persistent lobbying by JAMAKON and civil society, the Cabinet approved the draft Act on 15 September 2014. JAMAKON drafted and submitted a shadow report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2014. The aim of the shadow report was to provide an alternative view on the status of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 1989. • In 2014 JAMAKON conducted studies on the legal compliance of Bangladesh national laws with core human rights instruments. The aim was to identify inconsistencies between the treaty provisions and related national laws, policies and programmes. The studies thus, enabled JAMAKON to provide the necessary details and recommendations to strengthen the GoB’s informed decision-making process regarding enactment of legislations and adoption of policies complying with international obligations. • JAMAKON reviewed basic school textbooks and submitted recommendation to the concerned Ministry. Key recommendations for incorporation mainly focused on the basic concepts of human rights, rights and duties, child rights, women rights, duties within the families, rights of the minorities, non-discrimination, communal harmony, international human rights instruments, constitutional rights and the roles and functions of the National Human Rights Commission. National Human Rights Commission (JAMAKON) Annual Report 2014 39