intends to add value to these efforts. JAMAKON has ample opportunities to coordinate and collaborate with these organizations in order to monitor the human rights situation, implement education and awareness program, and conduct research and policy advocacy. JAMAKON hopes to be able to use NGOs as conduits for receiving complaints, and to strengthen the human rights monitoring which may already have been undertaken by these NGOs. The Commission’s function of inspecting places of detention centres, for example, can open doors that have traditionally been closed to NGOs. Similarly, when undertaking inquiries the Commission has powers to summon witnesses and examine them on oath. These official powers go well beyond what NGOs or other civil society actors are able to do. We acknowledge and applaud the tireless efforts of the human rights defenders working throughout Bangladesh to promote human rights and defend the fundamental freedoms of people and individuals. We intend to advocate for ensuring compliance of domestic legislation with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. JAMAKON has a mandate to protect and support human rights defenders. We recognize that often much more progress can be made on the human rights front by focusing on systemic change. The National Human Rights Commission Act 2009 empowers the Commission to inquire into complaints of human rights violations from affected individuals and from those complaining on their behalf. We are already receiving a regular flow of complaints and are committed to pursuing these as effectively as we can. We are working to achieve large‐scale changes affecting groups of our constituents. Since the first Commission was established by ordinance during the period of the caretaker government in 2008, efforts have been made to secure an adequate budget, accessible premises and an effective secretariat. However, a number of challenges remain. The funding that has been made available from the state budget to date is far from adequate and will need to be increased substantially if we are to become an effective institution. Similarly, the staff currently allocated to the Commission fall short by a substantial margin in numbers and capacity for what is required to fulfil its role, including reaching out to all administered divisions of Bangladesh. JAMAKON, thus, will put its efforts into establishing divisional offices. Key Strategies: Investigate and monitor cases situations of human rights violations; and Cooperate and coordinate with state agencies, civil society, regional and international bodies for better promotion and protection of human rights; Add value to what is already being done by stakeholders; Support and defenders; protect human rights Focus on systemic change for better promotion and protection of human rights; Enhance the accessibility, effectiveness and organizational development of JAMAKON; Foster transboundary cooperation amongst NHRIs from the region. Section 3. Pressing Human Rights Issues JAMAKON’s mandate is broad – it has to act across the full range of human rights set out in the Constitution and other international human rights instruments. These include civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights. In reality, as it is difficult to address all human rights issues at once, JAMAKON will need to prioritize. The Commission identified the most pressing human rights issues in Bangladesh in its first strategic plan for 2010-2015. At the end of the first strategic plan, the JAMAKON consulted with different stakeholders and identified the following pressing human rights issues: 69 JAMAKON