July 16, Colombo: Sri Lanka has completed the report to be presented at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva this November has been completed.

Government sources said the report has been sent to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for approval before sending it to the UNHRC.

The deadline to send the report is the 23rd of this month and according to sources, the report would be sent soon after receiving Presidential approval.

The 10,700 word report has comprehensively outlined the recommendations that were made to the country at the previous UPR in 2008 and the voluntary recommendations by Sri Lanka. The report also describes the work carried out by the country with regard to human rights between the period of 2008 and March 2012.

It is learnt that while Sri Lanka has rejected about 20 recommendations made at the 2008 UPR, the government has worked towards implementing between 60-70 recommendations.

The government in the report has stated that there has been considerable progress achieved in the human rights front, especially three years after the end of the war.

According to sources, 45 ministries had provided progress reports with regard to the implementation of the Human Rights Action Plan.

India, Benin and Spain are the countries in the troika appointed for the review of Sri Lanka scheduled for 1st of November, 2012. Adoption of the report on Sri Lanka is scheduled for 5th of November.

The UPR provides an opportunity for each state to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations.