ANNUAL REPORT 2004 during the project period provided training on monitoring and reporting of human rights to representatives of NGOs working at the regional level in all the five development regions. Likewise, the Commission has been making meaningful contributions by providing resource persons for trainings on human rights, sent representatives to discussions and seminars at the request of various human rights NGOs. For example, the Commission has lent support to the network formed with the objective of promoting the concept that ‘Children are the peace zones’. 7.1.8. Information on complaints on human rights violation Complaints filed at the Commission were actively handled to the extent allowed by the available resources. The Commission has taken exception to the crime against vulnerable women on the charge of practicing witchcraft and made recommendations to the Government to create a mechanism for the prevention of occurrence of such crimes and also has recommended that compensation be paid to the victims of such criminal acts. In meetings with the Prime Minister on issues of incidences of human rights violations and the monitoring and investigations carried out by the Commission on them, the Commission has been providing important suggestions on the steps needed to be taken by the government for the preservation of human rights. The Commission has also been disseminating information to civil society and mediapersons on the activities of the Commission by organising various programmes from time to time on these subjects. 7.1.9. Provision of foreign consultants Realizing the various difficulties faced by the Commission in the discharge of its statutory obligations in the country’s conflict-ridden complex situation, the short tenure of the establishment of the Commission and prevalent conditions where the armed forces have been mobilized to restore law and order, the Commission has hired the services of some experts with international experience in the field of human rights as foreign consultants. This is expected to render significant support in the effective implementation of monitoring of human rights, training on human rights as well as for the administrative and managerial aspects of the Commission. 7.1.10. Staff training During the report period, the task of providing training to the staff on human rights as well as on various subjects relating to the profession has been concluded. Various trainings conducted by the Commission, including human rights monitoring and investigations, increasing gender awareness, technical training on use of computers etc have been very helpful in the enhancement of the skills and knowledge of the staff. 7.1.11. Study visits During this fiscal year, officials of the Commission went on a familiarisation visit of human rights commissions in countries like Thailand, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka etc. During the visits, information and views were exchanged regarding the activities, experiences and positive aspects of these commissions which have proved to be very helpful in the course of the operation of the Commission’s activities. 73