budget and finances, as approved by Parliament. Following its budget submission for 2016/17 financial year, the Commission was allocated $1.492m, an increase of $942,000 from its baseline budget of $550,000 in 2015. The Commission, following its last budget submission has now been allocated $2.4m, an increase of $900,000 for the 2017/18 financial year. The Commission is committed towards ensuring that it is Paris Principles compliant and to that end will continue working closely with the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) with a view of applying for accreditation and gaining full membership of the APF and Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). The Commission has agreed to an APF facilitated capacity assessment and currently as an observer of the APF, the Commission has and is actively participating in a range of activities. Complaints of human rights violations received by the Commission from women and LGBTI persons  Strip search of a female in a public place in the presence of a male police officer  Female kept in a cell with a drunk male suspect who allegedly molested her  Female kept in police custody without female officers  Domestic violence, marital rape, child sexual abuse and refusal by police to facilitate medical examination  Eviction notice to vacate marital home served to a complainant whose divorce case was pending in court.  LGBTI persons subjected to verbal and physical assault. Commission’s efforts in protecting and promoting human rights Independent Investigations: The Commission has launched independent investigations into allegations of torture and brutality, death in custody, strip searches conducted by police, sexual assault of prisoners, deprivation of rights of arrested and detained persons, discrimination on a prohibited ground as it affects LGBTI persons, persons living with disabilities, racial and religious discrimination, denial of access to justice for foreign nationals in detention, arbitrary evictions, rights of the child, sexual assault of children and denial or prompt medical examination and treatment in such cases, deprivation of shelter for women with mental illness and human trafficking. Monitoring Compliance: 40 visits were made to places of detention (corrections facilities, police cell blocks, immigration safe house, and hospitals) between 20162017. Human Rights during natural disasters: Inspection of evacuation centres post Tropical Cyclone Winston