NHRC meeting with civil society organizations and human rights defenders focuses on forging ties for a collective effective response to deal with Covid-19 pandemic (11.05.2021)

New Delhi, 11th May, 2021

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India today organized an on-line meeting with the NGOs, Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Defenders to have an assessment of the ground realities of COVID-19 Pandemic containment and its challenges & to enable the Commission for requisite initiatives/steps to mitigate the sufferings of the citizens of the country.

More than hundred participants, representing various national and international organizations, some senior State Government functionaries and Senior NHRC Officers also attended the said Virtual Meeting.

Chairing the Meeting, Mr. Bimbadhar Pradhan, Secretary General, NHRC, lauded the role of the Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Defenders in this challenging times and appealed that as the part of a nation, facing such an once-in-century crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, each one has to collaborate to extend a helping hand to each other, be it in the Governments or in the Civic Space, for an effective collective response system, which shall supplement & complement the efforts being taken by various government agencies on the ground. He said that the Commission, like ever before, is committed to play the role of a bridge between the institutions of governance and expectations of the citizens.

One of the most common important suggestions, among others, that emerged during the discussions, was about the lack of oxygen, lack of beds, vaccination coverage and other health facilities especially to the nomadic tribes or the unorganized sector informal workers etc, who are not part of any habitat.

The misery caused due to this second wave of the Covid-19 virus in far flung areas and the lack of reach of the medical care to them was also prominently flagged by the Human Rights Defenders.

It was also very emphatically suggested that it is high time that the allocation on the public health system needs to be enhancedso that the country is adequately prepared to meet any public health emergencies & challenges in future.

All the valuable suggestions shall be placed before the Commission on priority & thereafter duly approved recommendations will be forwarded to the Central and the State governments for necessary follow up action &implementation.

*******