Conference of NGOs in support of NHRC for promotion and protection of Human Rights
The National Human Rights Commission organized a two-day Conference on the ‘Role of NGOs in support of NHRC for better promotion and protection of human rights’ in Bangalore. The Conference organized on April 28 and 29, 2007 was inaugurated by the Karnataka Governor, Shri T.N. Chaturvedi. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chairperson of NHRC gave the valedictory address.
Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu, Chairperson NHRC and all the Members of the Commission attended and gave their valuable inputs at a
A number of issues where participation of NGOs can help in protecting the human rights of citizens were discussed at the Conference.
After the two day deliberations the Conference came out with the following recommendations.
· It was highlighted that the NGOs who were at grassroots can bring the sufferings of the victims, even from remote areas to the attention of NHRC. The NGOs should be responsible in representing the victims and ensure the credibility and accuracy of their reports on human rights violation.
· It was felt that NHRC is in a better position to address the immediate needs of the victims and can make sure that they get justice in a short period.
· The Commission will conduct continuous sensitization programmes for its officers as well as Government machinery, on the plights of the victims. Judicial officers from lower judiciary and district level, who have a vital role in hearing the cases of the victims and administrating justice, should be continuously sensitized through training.
The Commission informed the NGOs that continue programmes for Government officers, lower judiciary officers and those at district levels are being in held to sensitize them about the human rights. It was, further, highlighted that the Commission is constantly in touch with the State authorities whenever there is any instance of human rights violation.
· Women’s issues shall be an important part of all sensitization and training programmes of judicial officers, police and other government officials.
The participants from the Commission stressed that women form an integral part of all the deliberations of the Commission, and the officers in the field are equipped whenever possible by the Commission to deal with the problems of violations of human rights of women. It was also stated that Law Division of the Commission has a women cell where all cases related to such violations are dealt.
· NGOs being in the field can monitor human rights violation and Commission will be able to provide co-ordination in monitoring such violations.
· People should be educated about their human rights, which include the skills to monitor and complain to the authorities when their rights are violated.
Reacting to the need to educate people, the officers of the Commission said that the training division of NHRC conducts internship programmes where the younger generation is trained on human rights. They, further, said that these student interns, go to their respective areas and are able to disseminate knowledge on human rights. The Commission officers further said that there has been a spectacular change as far as human rights violations are concerned and the number of people who come to seek assistance from the Commission has increased. They pointed out this has happened because of awareness reaching a wider spectrum of the population.
· NHRC with media can work together to take the human rights programmes to the masses.
Referring to joint efforts by the Media and the Commission, the officials said that off-late media has become very sensitive on the issues of human rights and the interaction between the Commission officials and media have increased. The Commission with its Information and Public Relations Division maintains constant contact with electronic and print media so that no human rights violation goes unnoticed.
· Good health governance will form an integral part of human rights.
On the issue of health, the officials of the Commission highlighted that health has become a human right, which is all encompassing with sanitation, clean drinking water, environment and food becoming its integral part. They said keeping in the urgency to make health rights as priority the Commission recently held a “Review meeting on Health” where it called for upgrading health care facilities all over the country. The meeting also took note of the occupational hazards faced by a section of the society and how to mitigate them.
· NHRC can maintain a list of NGOs, reflecting specific issues the NGOs are dealing with and their work areas. A task force of NHRC - NGO can be constituted to address the problem of exclusion of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
On the issue of NGOs, the Commission said that NHRC has already been working with dedicated NGOs in specified field and this participation of NGOs will continue to help the masses. The list is already maintained by respective Ministries.
The NGOs requested NHRC to take pro-active steps to ensure strict compliance of its guidelines in postmortems and also in the cases of starvation deaths. The NGOs, further, requested that focal point by NHRC can be established in different parts of the country as everything is not possible from Delhi alone. The NGOs, further requested NHRC that its guidelines can be monitored at all levels so that the Commission can provide justice to common man. It was suggested that the Commission can have Special Rapporteurs in every part of the country who can be the eyes and ears of the Commission. They further said that NHRC can target specific districts in the country, work with a specific NGOs and make these districts torture free.
Since its establishment, NHRC has been encouraging NGOs. The Core group of NGOs was constituted and then re-constituted in 2006. Leading NGOs were chosen to be its members. Some of the groups who participated in the two day deliberations were - People’s Union for Civil Liberty, Core group of NGOs, Institute of Human Rights Education, Community Health Cell - Bangalore, Help the Aged India (Chennai), National Alliance of People’s Movement (Andhra Pradesh), Centre for Social Justice, People’s Watch, Asian Center for Human Rights, Association of Physically Disabled, Advocate of disabled rights, Association of people with Disability (Bangalore) and Mobility India.
Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu, Chairperson NHRC and all the Members of the Commission attended and gave their valuable inputs at a
A number of issues where participation of NGOs can help in protecting the human rights of citizens were discussed at the Conference.
After the two day deliberations the Conference came out with the following recommendations.
· It was highlighted that the NGOs who were at grassroots can bring the sufferings of the victims, even from remote areas to the attention of NHRC. The NGOs should be responsible in representing the victims and ensure the credibility and accuracy of their reports on human rights violation.
· It was felt that NHRC is in a better position to address the immediate needs of the victims and can make sure that they get justice in a short period.
· The Commission will conduct continuous sensitization programmes for its officers as well as Government machinery, on the plights of the victims. Judicial officers from lower judiciary and district level, who have a vital role in hearing the cases of the victims and administrating justice, should be continuously sensitized through training.
The Commission informed the NGOs that continue programmes for Government officers, lower judiciary officers and those at district levels are being in held to sensitize them about the human rights. It was, further, highlighted that the Commission is constantly in touch with the State authorities whenever there is any instance of human rights violation.
· Women’s issues shall be an important part of all sensitization and training programmes of judicial officers, police and other government officials.
The participants from the Commission stressed that women form an integral part of all the deliberations of the Commission, and the officers in the field are equipped whenever possible by the Commission to deal with the problems of violations of human rights of women. It was also stated that Law Division of the Commission has a women cell where all cases related to such violations are dealt.
· NGOs being in the field can monitor human rights violation and Commission will be able to provide co-ordination in monitoring such violations.
· People should be educated about their human rights, which include the skills to monitor and complain to the authorities when their rights are violated.
Reacting to the need to educate people, the officers of the Commission said that the training division of NHRC conducts internship programmes where the younger generation is trained on human rights. They, further, said that these student interns, go to their respective areas and are able to disseminate knowledge on human rights. The Commission officers further said that there has been a spectacular change as far as human rights violations are concerned and the number of people who come to seek assistance from the Commission has increased. They pointed out this has happened because of awareness reaching a wider spectrum of the population.
· NHRC with media can work together to take the human rights programmes to the masses.
Referring to joint efforts by the Media and the Commission, the officials said that off-late media has become very sensitive on the issues of human rights and the interaction between the Commission officials and media have increased. The Commission with its Information and Public Relations Division maintains constant contact with electronic and print media so that no human rights violation goes unnoticed.
· Good health governance will form an integral part of human rights.
On the issue of health, the officials of the Commission highlighted that health has become a human right, which is all encompassing with sanitation, clean drinking water, environment and food becoming its integral part. They said keeping in the urgency to make health rights as priority the Commission recently held a “Review meeting on Health” where it called for upgrading health care facilities all over the country. The meeting also took note of the occupational hazards faced by a section of the society and how to mitigate them.
· NHRC can maintain a list of NGOs, reflecting specific issues the NGOs are dealing with and their work areas. A task force of NHRC - NGO can be constituted to address the problem of exclusion of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
On the issue of NGOs, the Commission said that NHRC has already been working with dedicated NGOs in specified field and this participation of NGOs will continue to help the masses. The list is already maintained by respective Ministries.
The NGOs requested NHRC to take pro-active steps to ensure strict compliance of its guidelines in postmortems and also in the cases of starvation deaths. The NGOs, further, requested that focal point by NHRC can be established in different parts of the country as everything is not possible from Delhi alone. The NGOs, further requested NHRC that its guidelines can be monitored at all levels so that the Commission can provide justice to common man. It was suggested that the Commission can have Special Rapporteurs in every part of the country who can be the eyes and ears of the Commission. They further said that NHRC can target specific districts in the country, work with a specific NGOs and make these districts torture free.
Since its establishment, NHRC has been encouraging NGOs. The Core group of NGOs was constituted and then re-constituted in 2006. Leading NGOs were chosen to be its members. Some of the groups who participated in the two day deliberations were - People’s Union for Civil Liberty, Core group of NGOs, Institute of Human Rights Education, Community Health Cell - Bangalore, Help the Aged India (Chennai), National Alliance of People’s Movement (Andhra Pradesh), Centre for Social Justice, People’s Watch, Asian Center for Human Rights, Association of Physically Disabled, Advocate of disabled rights, Association of people with Disability (Bangalore) and Mobility India.