NHRC DG (I) attends 20th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures at Vienna
Smt. Kanwaljit Deol, Director General (Investigation) represented the Commission at the 20th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council in Vienna from 24th - 28th June, 2013. The first three days were focused on the Special Procedures and the next two days were dedicated to the Conference in celebration of 20 years of the Vienna Declaration.
In the discussions on Special Procedures, it was emphasized that this system needed help and close cooperation from both credible NGOs and independent NHRIs, especially during visits to countries for assessment and evaluation of the state of protection and promotion of human rights. More specifically a need for a Nodal Desk in National Human Rights bodies was proposed to maintain a dialogue between the UN human rights system and the NHRIs.
With reference to the work of human rights defenders, Smt. Deol said that the Commission is committed to promptly act on complaints of their intimidation and reprisals and also promotes, whenever feasible, their working. Some of the other important issues discussed included development of regional human rights mechanisms, monitoring and follow-up of human rights complaints with the support of new technologies.
In the 'Conference on celebration of 20 years of the Vienna Declaration', Smt. Deol emphasized the need for NHRIs like NHRC-India to have better access to United Nations, including Treaty Bodies. Bringing non-State actors, such as multi-national corporations into the purview of the human rights regime and the need to deal with the unfinished agenda of setting up of the UN World Court of Human Rights were also discussed. Multiple levels of discrimination against women and the need for their greater participation in all decision-making for a were also highlighted.
In the discussions on Special Procedures, it was emphasized that this system needed help and close cooperation from both credible NGOs and independent NHRIs, especially during visits to countries for assessment and evaluation of the state of protection and promotion of human rights. More specifically a need for a Nodal Desk in National Human Rights bodies was proposed to maintain a dialogue between the UN human rights system and the NHRIs.
With reference to the work of human rights defenders, Smt. Deol said that the Commission is committed to promptly act on complaints of their intimidation and reprisals and also promotes, whenever feasible, their working. Some of the other important issues discussed included development of regional human rights mechanisms, monitoring and follow-up of human rights complaints with the support of new technologies.
In the 'Conference on celebration of 20 years of the Vienna Declaration', Smt. Deol emphasized the need for NHRIs like NHRC-India to have better access to United Nations, including Treaty Bodies. Bringing non-State actors, such as multi-national corporations into the purview of the human rights regime and the need to deal with the unfinished agenda of setting up of the UN World Court of Human Rights were also discussed. Multiple levels of discrimination against women and the need for their greater participation in all decision-making for a were also highlighted.