New Delhi, 14 December 2004
Establishment and proper functioning of Human Rights Cells in the Police Headquarters, the status of District Complaint Authorities, the status of compliance reports, implementation of guidelines issued by the NHRC, conditions in jails, rights of persons with disability, right to food, abolition of manual scavenging, atrocities against SCs/STs and the issue of child marriages were some of the issues discussed at the day-long meeting the National Human Rights Commission had with the Chief Secretaries and the Directors General of Police of all the States and Union Territories held in New Delhi today.
Some of the suggestions that came out during the deliberations were the need to make registration of marriages compulsory in order to detect child marriages, the issue of linking relief in the case of Right to Food to the status of individuals affected, monitoring of hunger levels at every village, modification of building constructions laws to provide barrier free infrastructure for persons with disabilities and the need to report to the NHRC the death of children of prisoners and under-trials who are lodged in jails.
The problem areas identified included the lack of information from the States on the number of missing persons particularly women and children, low levels of prosecution of perpetrators of bonded labour and traffickers of women and children, the woefully inadequate number of short stay homes for rehabilitating victims of trafficking and delay in reporting custodial deaths to the NHRC. It was also pointed out on the need for imparting formal training in human rights to not just officers but also the constabulary.
Earlier in the day in his opening remarks the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand stated that the NHRC is not anti-government but is there to facilitate and to help States in the protection and promotion of human rights. He said the primary obligation to protect human rights is with the State with the NHRC working as a facilitator.
Justice Anand also sought their co-operation in better Protection and Promotion of Human Rights stating it to be a partnership. He, however, regretted that some States have not been forthcoming in their co-operation and communication gap exists. He said unless human rights are made as the Focal Point, good governance is not possible. He also said that injustice breeds contempt and nothing hurts a person more than injustice. On the reported suicides by farmers and starvation deaths in certain States, Justice Anand said this brings to focus the need for food security and proper redressal of the problem is at the hands of the State machinery. He also called upon the police to improve its image notwithstanding the need to adopt scientific methods in their investigation. Dr. Anand hoped that today's interaction would provide an opportunity to share experiences, identify shortcomings and take remedial steps.
The agenda for today's meeting included setting up of State Human Rights Commissions and District Complaint authorities; Functioning of Human Rights Cells; Status Reports and Compliance Reports; NHRC Guidelines -- Implementation Issues; Training of Police and Other Personnel; Special Area Security Acts/Bills; Conditions in Jails; Atrocities against SC/ST; Human Rights and HIV/AIDS; Rights of the Disabled; Trafficking in Women and Children; Combating Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place; Child Marriage; Abolition of Manual Scavenging; Problem of Denotified Tribes; Right to Food; Rights of the Mentally Ill - Conditions of Mental Hospitals and Bonded Labour situation.
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