CURTAIN RAISER: NHRC Foundation Day, 2022 celebrations begin with raising mass awareness about human rights with a “Run” at Kartavya Path, New Delhi on 9th October at 7.00 am

New Delhi, 6th October, 2022

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India will be celebrating its 29th Foundation Day on the 12th October, 2022. The Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the Chief Guest.

The Foundation Day inaugural function will be immediately followed up with a session on Strengthening of Bonds with State Human Rights Commissions, State Human Rights Commissions and States/Union Territories.

Besides, in run-up to the Foundation Day, the Commission is organizing a “Human Rights Run” to be flagged off by the NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice Arun Mishra at the Kartavya Path, New Delhi, on Sunday, 09th October, 2022 at 07.00 AM for spreading human rights literacy among various sections of society. Approx. 2,000 invited participants including school children and NHRC Members, senior officers and Staff will participate in the “Run”, which will also be open to the public.

The celebrations are a reminder of the Commission’s commitment to the cause of protection and promotion of human rights. The Commission also creates requisite awareness about the promotion and protection of human rights through training modules/internships, research projects, seminars/webinars and various publications.

The Commission takes cognizance of any form of human rights violations, conducts enquiries and having satisfied of such violation of human rights, and recommends to the public authorities for payment of compensation/monetary relief to the victims, other remedial and legal measures against the erring public servants.

The NHRC, India holds ‘A’ status accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) since 1999, besides, being a founder Member of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) since 1996.

NHRC Chairperson, Members, and Officials have been participating in various sessions of the Asia Pacific Forum, GANHRI and UN Human Rights Council and highlighting the role, being played by the Commission on human rights issues and the advisories issued by it on the rights of various vulnerable sections of society on time to time, more importantly, first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and as well as in the recent past.

Such twenty-five advisories include among others, the Right to Food, Right to Health & Mental Health, Rights of the Informal Workers, Upholding the Dignity of the Dead, Rights of Truck Driver, Environmental Pollution and Degradation.

Over the years, the Commission has taken several new initiatives to expand its outreach. The Commission is now fully working in E-office format and linked its HRCNet Portal with all the State authorities and majority of State Human Rights Commissions. Any person can file complaints directly through on-line mode in a fast and efficient manner and can track the real time status of their complaint on the Commission’s portal. The on-line complaint filing system is also linked with over three lakh Common Service Centers spread across the country. Recently, the online complaint filing system of the NHRC has also been integrated with the National Government Services Portal.

The Commission has also proactively engaged with the NGOs, civil society representatives and Human Rights Defenders. Twelve Thematic Core Groups involving various experts have helped the Commission to formulate mechanism to evaluate the schemes initiated by the Govt. and make recommendations thereof. The Special Monitors and Special Rapporteurs who are the eyes and ears of the Commission are adding value to the mandate of the Commission.

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