Year 2007 in NHRC
New Delhi January 01, 2008
The year 2007 was an eventful and an action packed year for the National Human Rights Commission, which played a pro-active role in confronting and mitigating Human Rights violations. The Commission began its hectic task of promoting and protecting human rights with the first ever camp sitting of the Full Commission at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in January. During its three day sitting, the Commission drew the attention of the UP authorities to a number of issues including failure to file FIRs, delay in compliance with its recommendations and delay in sending requisite details or reports on custodial deaths. In these sittings, 32 cases of Full Commission and 150 cases of Single Members were disposed of. This was followed by the Second Camp sitting in Bihar capital Patna in May. During its three-day sitting in Patna, 30 cases of Full Commission and 125 cases relating to Single Members were disposed of. consideration The State Government made payment of seven lakh sixty thousand rupees (7,60,000) to the victims of violation of human rights in 6 cases and submitted proof of payment. This included two cases of custodial deaths. The State Government, further, undertook to file proof of payment in 4 cases. The Commission also recommended interim relief to the tune of fourteen lakh twenty five thousand rupees (14,25,000) in 10 cases.
An important announcement by the Commission was made in the beginning of the year whereby 89 victims of atrocities were awarded interim-relief. The interim relief of two crore eighty lakh rupees to 89 victims of atrocities committed by the Joint Task Force of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka government while looking for a forest brigade Veerapan was announced by the Commission .
As the sexual abuse and killing of children in Nithari village of Noida in Uttar Pradesh shook the nation, the Commission set up a Committee to study the matter in detail and give suggestions. The Commission asked for the status of CBI investigation into the missing persons or children in Nithari village. The Commission also asked the authorities to specify whether all cases had been entrusted to CBI. Soon the NHRC Committee on Missing Children came out with more than 20 recommendations so as to protect the Rights of the children and avoid the recurrence of another Nithari.
The month of April saw the new Chairperson Justice Shri S. Rajendra
Babu assuming office. Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu a former Chief Justice of India during his tenure in the Supreme Court had delivered several landmark judgments in civil, criminal, constitutional, environmental, taxation, corporate law and intellectual property matters. Justice Shri Rajendra Babu had analyzed the mob psychology in the case relating to anti-Sikh riots, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. He also interpreted the provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.
During the year, the Commission also gave guidelines for speedy disposal of child rape cases. The Commission, which had been monitoring the implementation of the Vishakha guidelines of the Supreme Court on sexual harassment at the workplace, got the compliance from the States and the Union Territories. The Commission was informed that relevant changes had been made in the conduct rules on the issue.
A two-day National Conference on Juvenile Justice System organized by the Commission came out with a number of suggestions so that Juvenile Justice System become an integral part of Human Resource Development Planning and kept apart from Criminal Justice System. The Commission held a Review Meeting on Right to Health and another on Eradication of Manual Scavenging. The Meeting on Health dealt with a number of issues and many of the recommendations of the Commission were accepted by the Medical Council of India and Nursing Council of India. The Commission also constituted a Special Group for recommendations on the issue of Silicosis. The Meeting on Eradication of Manual Scavenging stressed the need that the Government, the NGOs and the Commission should all work in co-ordination to achieve the desired results. The Commission held a National Level Workshop on Bonded and Child Labour, which was attended by State functionaries.
Close on the heels of a National Review Meeting on Health, the Commission held a meeting on the issue of Silicosis .The meeting came out with short-term and long-term recommendations. The Commission also held a Conference on "NGOs in support of NHRC for protection and protection of human rights". The two sides during the Conference came out with suggestions and recommendations so that their joint efforts could bring about a sea change in the society.
In its endeavour to bring awareness on human rights, the Commission held a "National Consultation on incorporating human rights education in the school and university level". On this occasion, the Commission came out with two publications, which were on - Model curriculum for Universities and a Module for teacher training in school education.
The Commission during this period held a Core Group Meeting on Right to Food and Mental Health. The Meeting on Right to Food came out with a number of guidelines for the Constitution of Watch Committees at various levels in every State of the country for a hunger free India. The Commission which had been monitoring the three mental hospitals at Agra, Gwalior and Ranchi came out with a number of decisions after the Core Group Meeting so that the basic needs of mentally ill could be met timely and qualitatively. The Commission also came out with an Integrated Plan of Action on Trafficking, for this purpose, a Task Force was constituted to come out with a comprehensive document.
The Commission held an Asian Sub-regional Workshop on Using Indicators to Promote and Monitor Human Rights. The Commission also held a four-day Sub-Regional Workshop on National Inquires in association with Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws. The Commission also held its Annual Meeting with the State Human Rights Commissions.
At present, the Commission is finalizing the National Action Plan for the promotion and protection of human rights.
On the international front the Commission was represented at the three-day Conference of National Human Rights Institutions of Common- wealth Countries held at London, International Coordination Committee meeting of National Institutions in Geneva, UN Human Rights Council meeting at Geneva, Twelfth National Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum at Sydney, Australia and Expanded Bureau Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the protecting and promotion of human rights in Geneva.
Besides the meetings, Conferences and other activities the Commission also took suo-motu cognizance on a number of human rights violation issues and also sent teams of the Investigation Division to get into the ground realities.
The Commission brought out a number of publications during the year. They included: National Old Age Pension Scheme Issues of Policy and Governance; Journal of National Human Rights Commission; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell and the Hindi journal Nai Dishayien. The Commission also produced four short films on human rights issues during the year.
As the New Year dawns, the Commission has more issues to work for in future. NHRC looks forward to playing a crucial role in preventing the citizens of the country from being deprived of their basic rights and ensuring that their human dignity is not violated.
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The year 2007 was an eventful and an action packed year for the National Human Rights Commission, which played a pro-active role in confronting and mitigating Human Rights violations. The Commission began its hectic task of promoting and protecting human rights with the first ever camp sitting of the Full Commission at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in January. During its three day sitting, the Commission drew the attention of the UP authorities to a number of issues including failure to file FIRs, delay in compliance with its recommendations and delay in sending requisite details or reports on custodial deaths. In these sittings, 32 cases of Full Commission and 150 cases of Single Members were disposed of. This was followed by the Second Camp sitting in Bihar capital Patna in May. During its three-day sitting in Patna, 30 cases of Full Commission and 125 cases relating to Single Members were disposed of. consideration The State Government made payment of seven lakh sixty thousand rupees (7,60,000) to the victims of violation of human rights in 6 cases and submitted proof of payment. This included two cases of custodial deaths. The State Government, further, undertook to file proof of payment in 4 cases. The Commission also recommended interim relief to the tune of fourteen lakh twenty five thousand rupees (14,25,000) in 10 cases.
An important announcement by the Commission was made in the beginning of the year whereby 89 victims of atrocities were awarded interim-relief. The interim relief of two crore eighty lakh rupees to 89 victims of atrocities committed by the Joint Task Force of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka government while looking for a forest brigade Veerapan was announced by the Commission .
As the sexual abuse and killing of children in Nithari village of Noida in Uttar Pradesh shook the nation, the Commission set up a Committee to study the matter in detail and give suggestions. The Commission asked for the status of CBI investigation into the missing persons or children in Nithari village. The Commission also asked the authorities to specify whether all cases had been entrusted to CBI. Soon the NHRC Committee on Missing Children came out with more than 20 recommendations so as to protect the Rights of the children and avoid the recurrence of another Nithari.
The month of April saw the new Chairperson Justice Shri S. Rajendra
Babu assuming office. Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu a former Chief Justice of India during his tenure in the Supreme Court had delivered several landmark judgments in civil, criminal, constitutional, environmental, taxation, corporate law and intellectual property matters. Justice Shri Rajendra Babu had analyzed the mob psychology in the case relating to anti-Sikh riots, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. He also interpreted the provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.
During the year, the Commission also gave guidelines for speedy disposal of child rape cases. The Commission, which had been monitoring the implementation of the Vishakha guidelines of the Supreme Court on sexual harassment at the workplace, got the compliance from the States and the Union Territories. The Commission was informed that relevant changes had been made in the conduct rules on the issue.
A two-day National Conference on Juvenile Justice System organized by the Commission came out with a number of suggestions so that Juvenile Justice System become an integral part of Human Resource Development Planning and kept apart from Criminal Justice System. The Commission held a Review Meeting on Right to Health and another on Eradication of Manual Scavenging. The Meeting on Health dealt with a number of issues and many of the recommendations of the Commission were accepted by the Medical Council of India and Nursing Council of India. The Commission also constituted a Special Group for recommendations on the issue of Silicosis. The Meeting on Eradication of Manual Scavenging stressed the need that the Government, the NGOs and the Commission should all work in co-ordination to achieve the desired results. The Commission held a National Level Workshop on Bonded and Child Labour, which was attended by State functionaries.
Close on the heels of a National Review Meeting on Health, the Commission held a meeting on the issue of Silicosis .The meeting came out with short-term and long-term recommendations. The Commission also held a Conference on "NGOs in support of NHRC for protection and protection of human rights". The two sides during the Conference came out with suggestions and recommendations so that their joint efforts could bring about a sea change in the society.
In its endeavour to bring awareness on human rights, the Commission held a "National Consultation on incorporating human rights education in the school and university level". On this occasion, the Commission came out with two publications, which were on - Model curriculum for Universities and a Module for teacher training in school education.
The Commission during this period held a Core Group Meeting on Right to Food and Mental Health. The Meeting on Right to Food came out with a number of guidelines for the Constitution of Watch Committees at various levels in every State of the country for a hunger free India. The Commission which had been monitoring the three mental hospitals at Agra, Gwalior and Ranchi came out with a number of decisions after the Core Group Meeting so that the basic needs of mentally ill could be met timely and qualitatively. The Commission also came out with an Integrated Plan of Action on Trafficking, for this purpose, a Task Force was constituted to come out with a comprehensive document.
The Commission held an Asian Sub-regional Workshop on Using Indicators to Promote and Monitor Human Rights. The Commission also held a four-day Sub-Regional Workshop on National Inquires in association with Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws. The Commission also held its Annual Meeting with the State Human Rights Commissions.
At present, the Commission is finalizing the National Action Plan for the promotion and protection of human rights.
On the international front the Commission was represented at the three-day Conference of National Human Rights Institutions of Common- wealth Countries held at London, International Coordination Committee meeting of National Institutions in Geneva, UN Human Rights Council meeting at Geneva, Twelfth National Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum at Sydney, Australia and Expanded Bureau Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the protecting and promotion of human rights in Geneva.
Besides the meetings, Conferences and other activities the Commission also took suo-motu cognizance on a number of human rights violation issues and also sent teams of the Investigation Division to get into the ground realities.
The Commission brought out a number of publications during the year. They included: National Old Age Pension Scheme Issues of Policy and Governance; Journal of National Human Rights Commission; Human Rights Manual for District Magistrate; Human Rights Best Practices Relating to Criminal Justice in a Nutshell and the Hindi journal Nai Dishayien. The Commission also produced four short films on human rights issues during the year.
As the New Year dawns, the Commission has more issues to work for in future. NHRC looks forward to playing a crucial role in preventing the citizens of the country from being deprived of their basic rights and ensuring that their human dignity is not violated.
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