NHRC-India attends Meetings of the ICC and CFNHRIs in Geneva
An NHRC-India delegation led by Chairperson, Justice Shri K.G. Balakrishnan and comprising of Member, Shri Satyabrata Pal and JS (Trg.), Shri J.S. Kochher, attended the 26th General meeting of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) and the Biennial Meeting of the Commonwealth Forum of NHRIs (CFNHRIs) held at Geneva from 6th - 10th May, 2013. The General Meeting elected the new Chair, Advocate Madeble Lawrence Mushwana of South Africa and the new Secretary, Professor Alan Miller from the Scottish NHRI. There were formal discussions on five themes:
i) 20 years - the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Paris Principles and the ICC - planning for the future
ii) Report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
iii) Follow-up on the Amman Declaration
iv) Post-2015 Development Agenda and the role of NHRIs
v) The right to participation
Accreditation of Members to the ICC and their mid-term review also came up for discussion and NHRC-India's point of view was acknowledged that the practice of mid-term review should be discontinued. Member, Shri Satyabrata Pal also emphasized that the Statute made it clear that only NHRIs from Member States of the UN could be accredited by the ICC.
During the course of the meeting of CFNHRIs, Chairperson, Justice Shri K.G. Balakrishnan spoke at the thematic Session on 'Human Rights and Mass Violence'. He also spoke about the work of the NHRC, India over the last year and several human rights issues covered by it and the large number of complaints it received. Shri Satyabrata Pal made a presentation on the 20 years of Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action, Paris Principles and the ICC'. He illustrated a range of issues being dealt with and their complexity which continued to grow and how the NHRIs needed to have a balance in their approach towards protection and promotion of human rights. He also said that ICC should not make the mistake of seeing its Members through the eyes of handful of NGOs from each country.
There were a number of side events and meetings. The Chair of the Rwandan NHRI desired to make a visit to NHRC- India. A Member of the Bangladesh NHRI also expressed the wish to visit India.
i) 20 years - the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Paris Principles and the ICC - planning for the future
ii) Report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
iii) Follow-up on the Amman Declaration
iv) Post-2015 Development Agenda and the role of NHRIs
v) The right to participation
Accreditation of Members to the ICC and their mid-term review also came up for discussion and NHRC-India's point of view was acknowledged that the practice of mid-term review should be discontinued. Member, Shri Satyabrata Pal also emphasized that the Statute made it clear that only NHRIs from Member States of the UN could be accredited by the ICC.
During the course of the meeting of CFNHRIs, Chairperson, Justice Shri K.G. Balakrishnan spoke at the thematic Session on 'Human Rights and Mass Violence'. He also spoke about the work of the NHRC, India over the last year and several human rights issues covered by it and the large number of complaints it received. Shri Satyabrata Pal made a presentation on the 20 years of Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action, Paris Principles and the ICC'. He illustrated a range of issues being dealt with and their complexity which continued to grow and how the NHRIs needed to have a balance in their approach towards protection and promotion of human rights. He also said that ICC should not make the mistake of seeing its Members through the eyes of handful of NGOs from each country.
There were a number of side events and meetings. The Chair of the Rwandan NHRI desired to make a visit to NHRC- India. A Member of the Bangladesh NHRI also expressed the wish to visit India.