A/HRC/37/17 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-eighth session from 6 to 17 November 2017. The review of Sri Lanka was held at the 16th meeting, on 15 November 2017. The delegation of Sri Lanka was headed by the Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Harsha de Silva. At its 18th meeting, held on 17 November 2017, the Working Group adopted the report on Sri Lanka. 2. On 13 February 2017, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Sri Lanka: Burundi, the Republic of Korea and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.1 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Sri Lanka: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/LKA/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/LKA/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/LKA/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Brazil, Estonia, Germany, Liechtenstein, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, and Uruguay was transmitted to Sri Lanka through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. Sri Lanka emphasized that it was participating in the review against the backdrop of a renewed and transformed local setting, led by its people at two historic elections. The victory of President Maithripala Sirisena at the 8 January 2015 presidential election and the uniting of the two main political parties under the National Unity Government following the parliamentary elections of August 2015 had enabled a fundamental shift in the country’s political culture towards matters pertaining to human rights, greater openness, and engagement locally with its own citizens, with the United Nations and with the international community. Therefore, much of the progress had been achieved during a brief period, of roughly the past 2 years and 10 months. 6. With regard to the preparation of the national report for the universal periodic review, Sri Lanka highlighted the extensive and inclusive consultation process, which had involved ministries and departments, civil society representatives, and experts in different fields, and had involved two stages — the development of the National Human Rights Action Plan and the preparation of the draft national report. 1 2 At the 25th meeting of the Human Rights Council, held on 22 September 2017 during the thirty-sixth session, under agenda item 6 entitled “Universal periodic review”, the President of the Council asked the Council to consider the agreement reached by the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Peru, Sri Lanka and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as outlined in a letter from the Plurinational State of Bolivia dated 20 September 2017, that the Plurinational State of Bolivia and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would exchange places in their respective troikas. The Council approved the change in the composition of the troikas of Peru and Sri Lanka, which had initially been selected at the organizational meeting of the Council, held on 13 February 2017.