NHRC Celebrates Human Rights Day
Right to Development should be kept as a basic Human Right: President
The National Human Rights Commission celebrated Human Rights Day on December 10, 2007, at a function in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest, the President of India Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil called for building a society fully committed to human rights. Smt. Patil 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. 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, the President added.
In her speech Smt. Patil said that only when the potential of all human beings were fully realised , we could talk of "true human development". The Commission had been playing a pivotal role in the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. The Commission had been working relentlessly in sensitizing the States as well as other agencies on importance of human rights. It had set an example for the rest of the world in the promotion and protection not only of the civil and political rights but also economic, social and cultural rights.
The President referred to the Indian Criminal Justice system and said that it had been made victim-centric. Smt. Patil praised the Commission's work on the issues of sexual harassment, trafficking, and the shifting of agenda from 'Welfare' to 'Rights'.
Calling poverty as the biggest violator of human rights, Smt Pratibha Patil said that persistence of poverty renders realization of human rights rather illusory. Calling the people as greatest assets of India, she said that all efforts should be made to protect fundamental rights of the people and human dignity of all. The political establishment, the legal system, the administrative machinery and the people themselves should all work towards protecting fundamental rights and human dignity, the President added.
On this occasion, the President released four publications of the Commission, namely : Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; NHRC Journal (English), 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 that the commitments made in the Constitution and Law of Land were properly executed, and human rights trigger facilitate and enable vulnerable to exercise their rights. Justice Babu 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.
The Chairperson said that the establishment of similar institutions like NHRC in many countries aimed at narrowing the gap between the International Systems and the government and the civil society. Referring to the international commitments in terms of Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015, Justice Babu said that we had to look at them from the lens of human rights, so that they do not remain rhetoric.
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 namely: 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 in Chairperson added.
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.
Among other dignitaries, Secretary General Shri Akhil Kumar Jain, Director General(Investigation) Shri Damodar Sarangi also addressed the gathering.
On this Occasion, Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director, UNIC read out the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
In her speech Smt. Patil said that only when the potential of all human beings were fully realised , we could talk of "true human development". The Commission had been playing a pivotal role in the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. The Commission had been working relentlessly in sensitizing the States as well as other agencies on importance of human rights. It had set an example for the rest of the world in the promotion and protection not only of the civil and political rights but also economic, social and cultural rights.
The President referred to the Indian Criminal Justice system and said that it had been made victim-centric. Smt. Patil praised the Commission's work on the issues of sexual harassment, trafficking, and the shifting of agenda from 'Welfare' to 'Rights'.
Calling poverty as the biggest violator of human rights, Smt Pratibha Patil said that persistence of poverty renders realization of human rights rather illusory. Calling the people as greatest assets of India, she said that all efforts should be made to protect fundamental rights of the people and human dignity of all. The political establishment, the legal system, the administrative machinery and the people themselves should all work towards protecting fundamental rights and human dignity, the President added.
On this occasion, the President released four publications of the Commission, namely : Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; NHRC Journal (English), 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 that the commitments made in the Constitution and Law of Land were properly executed, and human rights trigger facilitate and enable vulnerable to exercise their rights. Justice Babu 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.
The Chairperson said that the establishment of similar institutions like NHRC in many countries aimed at narrowing the gap between the International Systems and the government and the civil society. Referring to the international commitments in terms of Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015, Justice Babu said that we had to look at them from the lens of human rights, so that they do not remain rhetoric.
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 namely: 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 in Chairperson added.
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.
Among other dignitaries, Secretary General Shri Akhil Kumar Jain, Director General(Investigation) Shri Damodar Sarangi also addressed the gathering.
On this Occasion, Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director, UNIC read out the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.