HUMAN RIGHT COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA - Annual report 2020 3.1.4. Recommendations: In 2020 the Commission issued a total of 60 recommendations. The reason for the decrease in numbers from previous years is the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the routine activities of the Commission and necessitated increasing monitoring activities to ensure human rights violations stemming from the pandemic did not occur during the latter three quarters of the year. The majority of the recommendations were on the violation of equality and non-discrimination provisions in the Constitution in the context of complaints pertaining to economic and social rights, such as the right to education. Similar to the previous year, the highest number of recommendations (at 24) was issued in relation to admission to public schools which remains a perennial problem the Commission has to intervene in each year. Of the total recommendations, only 14 were on complaints of torture and unlawful arrest and detention (For a full list of Recommendations issued in 2020 see appendix 2). All recommendations are posted on the HRCSL website for public reference. Recommendations issued in 2020 Subject/Area No. of recommendations Economic Social & Cultural 63 Rights - Rights relating to 27 education* - Other ESC rights** 19 Rights relating to Personal 14 liberty*** TOTAL 60 Source: Database of Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka *These recommendations pertain to violations in school admissions, in students’ disciplinary matters, in university admissions, in harassment in educational institutions, and job promotions in educational institutions. 47