This year the Human Rights Day was observed with a call to be aware of the threat posed by war, terrorism and conflict to the Human Rights of every individual and to resolve to make protection of Human Rights an international secular religion. The neglect of the rights of the child, the declining juvenile sex ratio of the country and stress on Human Rights Education were other areas of concern voiced by speakers at the function organized by the NHRC in association with the United Nations Information Centre (India), at the FICCI Auditorium in New Delhi on 10 December 2004.
Mr. Morten Kjaerum, the Chief Guest and Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions pointed out that it is paramount that human rights are promoted and protected, especially as they are under pressure from many fronts - such as increased surveillance, further restrictions on travel and extradition without any protection.
The new challenges, he said, demand new responses and it is here that the National Human Rights Institutions have a duty to create new partnerships and engage actors across national borders and cutting across various interests be they commercial, political, ideological or religious. He also said that Governments have to realize that in the new inter connected world there are many problems that they cannot solve on their own. This presents the National Human Rights Institutions with an opportunity to contribute to the creation of a new framework, along with the corporate sector, labour organizations, religious groups, NGOs and others. The United Nation, he said, can play a significant part in getting all the new actors together, to create new fora and facilitate the much needed dialogue across geographical and cultural borders.
Dr. Justice A.S.Anand, Chairperson of the NHRC in his presidential address touched on the work done by the Commission in promoting and protecting Human Rights during the past 11 years. He reiterated the need to amend the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993. He expressed concern at the almost total neglect of the rights of the child who is today a victim of society's apathy or its violence. This is despite the great strides being made in the technological, medical and scientific field for adding to the comfort of living, he said.
He particularly drew attention to the poor standard of health the children in India suffer and the exploitation of the girl child. Saying that sex selective abortions are totally unacceptable and no law, custom, tradition, culture or religious consideration can be invoked to excuse discrimination against the girl child, he called for a change in the mindset of the society. Proper implementation of the existing legislations and ensuring punishment to the guilty is the need of the hour, he said. Justice Anand also touched on the burning issues of Trafficking in Women & Children, discrimination against HIV/AIDs affected individuals and persons with disabilities.
While admitting that the cult of terrorism strikes at the very root of human rights of innocent people, he cautioned that counter terrorism measures should not undermine democratic values or subvert the rule of law. He concluded his speech with a call to the people to rededicate themselves to make human rights a fact of life and not an elusive tantalizing hope for all humanity.
On the occasion Director, United Nations Information Centre (India), Ms. Shalini Dewan read out the message of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan. The message reminded the people of the persisting human rights problems in the world and of the vital part human rights education could play their redressal and in the enormous efforts still required to make human rights a reality for all.
Earlier, students from the National Association for the Blind rendered the invocation song and Mr. P.S.S.Thomas, Secretary General of the Commission delivered the welcome address. During the function publications of the Commission which included the first ever Journal in Hindi and Vol-3 of the Journal in English, a Booklets Series titled 'Know your Human Rights' and the NHRC Calendar for the year 2005 were released by the Chief Guest.
The winners of a painting competition for physically challenged children jointly organized by the NHRC and the British Council on 13 September 2004 were also felicitated. Their paintings and those by children of the Bal Bhawan on the theme 'Rights of the Child' were displayed at the venue. The function ended with a Vote of Thanks by Shri Santosh Kumar, Director General (Investigation), NHRC.
(The full text of the Speeches of Mr. Morten Kjaerum and Dr. Justice A.S. Anand can be read on the Commission's website www.nhrc.nic.in).