राष्ट्रीय मानव अधिकार आयोग, भारत
NHRC, India holds Statutory Full Commission meeting
Press Release
National Human Rights Commission
New Delhi, 19th April, 2024
NHRC, India holds Statutory Full Commission meeting
Chairing the meeting NHRC, Chairperson Justice Shri Arun Mishra emphasizes the need for joint strategies among all the seven National Commissions for ensuring the protection of Human Rights
Among various suggestions, the need for study of various victim compensation schemes in all states stressed to know their status of conformity with the Statute
The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC India today organized the Statutory Full Commission meeting of all the seven National Commissions, whose Chairpersons are its ex-officio members. The objective was to discuss the issue of ensuring the protection of the rights of the vulnerable and marginalized sections and share best practices and annual action plans in this regard.
Chairing the meeting Justice Shri Arun Mishra, Chairperson, NHRC, India said that the Country has various sound legislations to ensure the protection of Human Rights of different sections of the society and all the Commissions, which are looking into various sectoral rights issues along with the NHRC having overarching jurisdiction, may work together, frame joint strategies and find out ways for more effective implementation of these legislations/schemes.
Justice Mishra said that it is to give thought to how to ensure the necessities of the people and the protection of their human rights. We must learn from each other’s experiences and take measures to ensure equality & dignity for SC-ST Communities, women and marginalized sections of society. He said that septic tanks should be mechanically cleaned and the NHRC advisory in this regard should be followed. The centre has framed a scheme regarding mechanical cleaning, which the states and local bodies should implement.
Shri Kishor Makwana, Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Caste said that the challenge is how to ensure the benefits of the new education policy and emerging technology reach the people. He said the change cannot be brought into the mindsets of the people by way of laws only but with compassion and sensitivity.
Shri Priyank kanoongo, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said that the Commission has been proactively working to ensure the rights of children. It is monitoring 8 portals in this connection. The commission has ensured that more than one lakh orphan children were monitored. They have been rehabilitated into families. It was ensured that they were not compelled to live in orphanages. The Commission has been ensuring the installation of CCTV cameras in the chemist's shops to ensure that children are not given scheduled drugs for substance abuse. The Commission has issued 9 guidelines and SoPs to ensure the protection of child rights besides preparing 19 research reports over the years.
Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities that over the years with the increase in rights consciousness among ‘divyangjans’ and so are the related challenges. The problems relating to the admissions in schools and assistance to the differently-abled students in exams continues to be a problem. The visually impaired have been facing the problem of captcha codes while accessing online services.
Shri Rajiv Jain, Member, NHRC said that studies suggest that despite a provision of the compensation under the SC-ST Act, its payment is delayed. A lot of time is lost in the registration of complaints and distribution of compensation. The victim compensation schemes in all states need to be studied to know whether these are in conformity with the Statute or not. Likewise, he said, the Compensation under NALSA also needs to be enhanced. The Concerned District authorities need to understand that a child victim of SC-ST community is eligible for compensation under the SC-ST Act, POCSO Act as well as the NALSA scheme.
Shri Jain said that the states cannot refuse to intervene in the matters of the rights violations of children in private schools merely on the ground that these are owned by private entities as all the institutions operate under the due permission of the State and therefore they also owe a responsibility to ensure their lawful functioning.
Smt. Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, National Commission for Women said that it would be better to have a collaboration among all the commissions for research to avoid duplication as there are several common subjects on which the NHRC and the NCW are doing research. She said that another area of concern is that the compatibility of State Statutory provisions has to be worked out to ensure uniformity in property rights for women in the country.
Shri Gudey Shrinivasan, Secretary’, National Commission of Scheduled Castes and Shri Konthang Touthang, Joint Secretary, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes also spoke about the work being done by their respective Commissions.
Earlier, Shri Bharat Lal, Secretary General, NHRC gave an overview of the meeting and the unique institutional human rights protection framework of the country. He said that such interactions among these institutions are useful in forming a common platform on some key issues of human rights and collectively ensure quick relief to the victims. They can collaborate on preparing advisories on various rights issues and ensure their implementation as well as the preventive steps for the protection of human rights. Mere research and not taking it to the ground level with practical application may not serve the purpose. He also said that the 7 National Commissions may onboard hrcnet portal of the NHRC to increase synergy and stop duplication of cases and efforts in resolving them.
DG(Inv.), NHRC Shri Ajay Bhatnagar said that more than the action after the violation of human rights, the time has come to focus on its prevention. He suggested all the Commissions share the links of each other’s websites on their respective websites for easy accessibility to the people. He also suggested an exchange of expertise among the National Commissions for a common goal towards ensuring the protection of the rights of the people.
Smt. Anita Sinha, JS, NHRC, presented a report on the NHRC activities during 2023-24. She highlighted how the Commission has been proactively engaging with the different stakeholders at the national and international levels to build bonds and bridges for the protection of human rights and victims of human rights violations.
NHRC Member, Smt Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, NHRC Joint Secretary, Shri Devendra Kumar Nim, Presenting Officers and other senior officers were present.
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