Delegation from HREOC, Australia and the Vietnamese Centre for Human Rights Research visits the Commission

A delegation led by Prof. Alice ES Tay, President, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC), Sydney, including Prof. Gunther Doeker-Mach, and Ms. Janine MacDonel of HREOC and four Vietnamese Scholars from the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, Vietnam – Dr. Cao Duc Thai, Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Hao, Dr. Nguyen Dang Thanh and Mrs. Duong Thi Thanh Mai visited the Commission on 13 and 14 November, 2000.

The purpose of the visit was to have an exchange of views on international and regional human rights institutions, instruments and practices. The visiting delegation was also familiarized with the manner in which India handled human rights issues, and the ways in which International Human Rights Laws were implemented in this country.

The delegation met with the Chairperson, Members and senior officers of the Commission and interacted with them on several issues relating to the work of the Commission. They were briefed by the officers of the Law and Investigation Divisions regarding the procedures followed for the processing of complaints and the investigation techniques that were used by the Commission. They visited the Commission’s Law Division to familiarize themselves with the way in which computer facilities had been developed to deal with the day-to-day handling of complaints.

Further, the Commission arranged meetings of the delegation with important non-governmental organizations based in New Delhi, notably the Centre for Concern for Child Labour, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and the South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre. They also visited the National Commission for SCs/STs, the National Commission for Minorities and the National Commission for Women