NHRC celebrates Human Rights Day
New Delhi December 10, 2007 President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, has called for building a society fully committed to human rights. In her address, on the occasion of human rights day organized by the National Human Rights Commission, she asked the people to re-dedicate themselves to sensitize everyone on human rights issues and strive towards promoting a culture rooted in the values of peace, development, tolerance and universal brotherhood. She said that human rights had a direct relationship with human development and the universality of human rights demand an equitable global order. In this respect, Right to Development should be kept as a basic human right for people across the globe, she added.
Referring to human dignity as the backbone of human rights, the President said that the Constitution guaranteed the dignity of the individual and what remains to be done was opportunities for growth of all sections of society especially disadvantage and vulnerable.
Smt. Patil said when the potential of all human beings were fully realised then only we could talk of "true human development". Referring to the working of NHRC, she said that the Commission had been playing a pivotal role in the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. She said that the Commission had been working at sensitizing the States as well as other agencies on importance of human rights. Smt. Patil said India and the Commission had set an example for the rest of the world in the promotion and protection of not only civil and political rights but also economic, social and cultural rights.
She referred to the Indian Criminal Justice system and said that it had been made victims-centric. She referred to the Commission's work on the issues of sexual harassment, trafficking, and the shifting of agenda from 'Welfare' to 'Rights', in the development debate.
Calling poverty as the biggest violator of human rights, she said that persistence of poverty renders realization of human rights rather illusory. Smt. Patil said that our foremost endeavour was to eradicate poverty so as to provide access to the poor and the deprived sections all the basic amenities of life. She emphasized on sustained efforts to empower women and said in order to protect their human rights improved Law enforcement and accountability for those who commit atrocities against them was essential.
Stressing the need to disseminate knowledge, and awareness about human rights among all stakeholders, the President said that those people who know their rights, stand the best chance of realizing them. She asked the media and the NGO to play an active role in this sphere.
Calling the people as greatest asset of India , she said that all efforts should be made to protect fundamental rights of the people and human dignity of all, in particular, the vulnerable and weaker sections of the society. She said that this could be realized by the political establishment, the legal system, the administrative machinery and by the people themselves.The President said such a move would generate greater confidence in citizens about themselves and their faith in the system and thus open new avenues for growth and make them stronger individuals.
The President concluded her address by saying "If human rights institutions, civil society, government, media groups, parliamentarians, the judiciary and opinion makers work in unison and with dedication, the task of ensuring enjoyment of human rights by all will translate into a reality".
On this occasion, the President released four publications of the Commission they were: Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; NHRC Journal (English), Vol. No. 6, 2007; NHRC Journal (Hindi) - NAI DISHAYEIN. She also unveiled the logo on the 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The NHRC, Chairperson, Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu in his address on the occasion said that the Commission was not just a watch-dog but a facilitator to ensure the commitments made in the Constitution and Law of Land are properly executed and human rights trigger facilitate and enable vulnerable to exercise their rights.He said that the value system manifested in human rights was not specifically the modern one, nor an imported concept from the west but found in all major cultures and religions worldwide.
He said that the establishment of similar institutions like NHRC in many countries aimed at narrowing the gap between the International Systems and government and civil society. Referring to the international commitment in terms of Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015, he said that we had to look at them from the lens of human rights so that they do not remain rhetoric.
The Chairperson enlisted some of the activities of the Commission in the last one year including - incorporating human rights education from class one to university level, Right to access to health - including non-availability of manpower in health centers, guidelines on how to handle the cases of missing children, monitoring of mental health institutions, recommendations on interim relief to the victims of atrocities committed by the Joint Task Force set up by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to apprehend Veerapan and Punjab Mass Cremation case. He said that the Commission was not just a defender of human rights but also a defender of the defenders.
Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu said that the Commission had constituted an Advisory Body on working group to promote National Action Plan for human rights. He said that accordingly the focus had been on five primary issues i.e. Right to Food Security, Right to Education, Right to Housing, Right to Health and Right to Custodial Justice. A draft Action Plan was being prepared after extensive discussions with the concerned Ministries and Departments and would be forwarded to Government of India for finalization.
On this Occasion, Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director, UNIC read out the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The message said that the UN was launching a year long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The message also said that it was a chance to ensure that human rights were a living reality - that they were known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.
The President also gave away awards to the winners of the intercollegiate debate competition, para-military debate competition and painting competition organized by the Commission earlier this year. The welcome address at the function was given by Shri Akhil Kumar Jain, Secretary General, NHRC and vote of thanks by Shri Damodar Sarangi, DG (Investigation), NHRC.
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Referring to human dignity as the backbone of human rights, the President said that the Constitution guaranteed the dignity of the individual and what remains to be done was opportunities for growth of all sections of society especially disadvantage and vulnerable.
Smt. Patil said when the potential of all human beings were fully realised then only we could talk of "true human development". Referring to the working of NHRC, she said that the Commission had been playing a pivotal role in the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. She said that the Commission had been working at sensitizing the States as well as other agencies on importance of human rights. Smt. Patil said India and the Commission had set an example for the rest of the world in the promotion and protection of not only civil and political rights but also economic, social and cultural rights.
She referred to the Indian Criminal Justice system and said that it had been made victims-centric. She referred to the Commission's work on the issues of sexual harassment, trafficking, and the shifting of agenda from 'Welfare' to 'Rights', in the development debate.
Calling poverty as the biggest violator of human rights, she said that persistence of poverty renders realization of human rights rather illusory. Smt. Patil said that our foremost endeavour was to eradicate poverty so as to provide access to the poor and the deprived sections all the basic amenities of life. She emphasized on sustained efforts to empower women and said in order to protect their human rights improved Law enforcement and accountability for those who commit atrocities against them was essential.
Stressing the need to disseminate knowledge, and awareness about human rights among all stakeholders, the President said that those people who know their rights, stand the best chance of realizing them. She asked the media and the NGO to play an active role in this sphere.
Calling the people as greatest asset of India , she said that all efforts should be made to protect fundamental rights of the people and human dignity of all, in particular, the vulnerable and weaker sections of the society. She said that this could be realized by the political establishment, the legal system, the administrative machinery and by the people themselves.The President said such a move would generate greater confidence in citizens about themselves and their faith in the system and thus open new avenues for growth and make them stronger individuals.
The President concluded her address by saying "If human rights institutions, civil society, government, media groups, parliamentarians, the judiciary and opinion makers work in unison and with dedication, the task of ensuring enjoyment of human rights by all will translate into a reality".
On this occasion, the President released four publications of the Commission they were: Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; NHRC Journal (English), Vol. No. 6, 2007; NHRC Journal (Hindi) - NAI DISHAYEIN. She also unveiled the logo on the 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The NHRC, Chairperson, Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu in his address on the occasion said that the Commission was not just a watch-dog but a facilitator to ensure the commitments made in the Constitution and Law of Land are properly executed and human rights trigger facilitate and enable vulnerable to exercise their rights.He said that the value system manifested in human rights was not specifically the modern one, nor an imported concept from the west but found in all major cultures and religions worldwide.
He said that the establishment of similar institutions like NHRC in many countries aimed at narrowing the gap between the International Systems and government and civil society. Referring to the international commitment in terms of Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015, he said that we had to look at them from the lens of human rights so that they do not remain rhetoric.
The Chairperson enlisted some of the activities of the Commission in the last one year including - incorporating human rights education from class one to university level, Right to access to health - including non-availability of manpower in health centers, guidelines on how to handle the cases of missing children, monitoring of mental health institutions, recommendations on interim relief to the victims of atrocities committed by the Joint Task Force set up by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to apprehend Veerapan and Punjab Mass Cremation case. He said that the Commission was not just a defender of human rights but also a defender of the defenders.
Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu said that the Commission had constituted an Advisory Body on working group to promote National Action Plan for human rights. He said that accordingly the focus had been on five primary issues i.e. Right to Food Security, Right to Education, Right to Housing, Right to Health and Right to Custodial Justice. A draft Action Plan was being prepared after extensive discussions with the concerned Ministries and Departments and would be forwarded to Government of India for finalization.
On this Occasion, Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director, UNIC read out the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The message said that the UN was launching a year long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The message also said that it was a chance to ensure that human rights were a living reality - that they were known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.
The President also gave away awards to the winners of the intercollegiate debate competition, para-military debate competition and painting competition organized by the Commission earlier this year. The welcome address at the function was given by Shri Akhil Kumar Jain, Secretary General, NHRC and vote of thanks by Shri Damodar Sarangi, DG (Investigation), NHRC.
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