New Delhi, 12th October, 2015

Greetings and best wishes on the Foundation Day of the National Human Rights Commission.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India was established on the 12th of October, 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights (PHR) Act, 1993. The Act embodies the spirit of the Constitution of India and is also in conformity with the 'Paris Principles'.

Human Rights are rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of individual, guaranteed by the Constitution, or embodied in the international covenants, and enforceable by Courts in India and are defined in the Section 2 (d) of the PHR Act. The Commission has a wide mandate to take cognizance of the violation of human rights by the commission/omission or inaction of public authorities entrusted with the authority to protect and promote rights of the people, including civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and group rights.

As regards the composition, the Commission has a Chairperson and four Members, who are appointed under a Presidential Warrant. Presently, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph is the Acting Chairperson since 13th May, 2015 and Mr. Justice D. Murugesan and Mr. S.C. Sinha are the other Members of the Commission. Mr. S.N. Mohanty, IAS is the Secretary General of the Commission.

Since its inception, the National Human Rights Commission has registered 15,02,398 cases. During the last year, from October, 2014 to October, 2015, it has registered 1,15,896 cases and out of these, it has disposed 95,563 cases. Most of these cases relate to alleged police inaction in protection of human rights, abuse of power by police, false implication by police, dowry death and harassment for dowry, indignity of women and inaction by State authorities, etc.

During this period, the Commission intervened in various important cases, such as killing of two youths and injury to others in firing by Army in Chattergam area in Budgam, J&K; allegations of 30 thousand quacks practicing in Tamil Nadu, notice to 27 State Governments on the steps taken by them to address the problem of fluorosis; vandalizing of churches in Delhi; killing of alleged red Sandal smugglers in Andhra Pradesh, etc. During this period, the Commission had also recommended total Rs.6,83,90,000/- as monetary relief.

Apart from processing the cases, NHRC has been organising Camp Sittings and Open Hearings. Total 06 Camp Sittings and Open Hearings were organised all over the country from October, 2014 to October, 2015.

NHRC is also been organising sensitization and awareness programmes for the masses; such as Child and Bonded Labour, Silicosis and Mental Health. The Commission has also organised Regional Workshops on Bonded Labour at Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and Lucknow. It has also organised National Seminars on Prison Reforms, Silicosis and Mental Health. Apart from these, the Commission also organised 05 National Seminars in Hindi in different universities of the country for creating awareness about human rights amongst students.

The Commission will also be holding Regional Public Hearings on Right to Health Care in Public and Private Sector and Regional Consultations for Third Universal Periodic Review across the country.

The National Human Rights Commission also has Special Rapporteurs, who are like eyes and ears of the Commission. They are given subjects, such as Bonded Labour, Child Labour, Custodial Justice, Dalit Issues, Health, Disability, Juvenile Justice, Human Rights Education, Rights of Women, Rights of Elderly etc. in the national perspective, or in their territorial jurisdictions, to study and report to the Commission. Besides, it has Core/Expert Groups to advise the Commission on specific issues of human rights like Health, Emergency Medical Care, Mental Health, Disability, Bonded Labour, Right to Food, Elderly Persons, Silicosis, Lawyers and NGOs.

The number of complaints is increasing every year. This not only reflects the credibility of the Commission but also trust reposed in it by the citizens. The Commission is addressing the emerging issues of human rights violations relating to bonded & child labour, right to clean environment, right to health, rights of women, rights of children including girl child, prison reforms and prisoners' rights, right to food, rights of elderly persons, right to education, right to development, rights of HIV/AIDS infected persons, rights of mentally ill persons, Dalit rights etc.

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