CURTAIN RAISER: HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, 2018 (07.12.2018)

New Delhi, 7th December, 2018

Human Rights Day is celebrated on the 10th December every year to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 as the shared standard yard stick to protect human rights across the globe. The Declaration recognizes that the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of mankind are the foundation of justice, freedom and peace in the world. It reaffirms the faith of the people of United Nations in the fundamental human rights.

This Human Rights Day assumes special significance for the NHRC India, as it is celebrating 25 years of its existence. The Commission has organized a series of events to mark its silver jubilee in a way to seek direct participation of people in the promotion and protection of human rights. For this, it organized various events, like human rights walk, human rights street theatre festival, Human Rights slogans and NHRC logo designing competitions, Human Rights Pledge among others.

The Commission has organized a function in New Delhi on Monday, the 10th December, 2018 to celebrate Human Rights Day. Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister of Minority Affairs will address the gathering as the Chief Guest. Mr. Justice H. L. Dattu, Chairperson, NHRC and former Chief Justice of India will also address the gathering.

Besides the release of some NHRC publications on the occasion, the winners of NHRC Mahatma Gandhi Biennial Awards for original works of writing in Hindi on human rights related issues will be honoured on the occasion. This will be followed by an ensemble of cultural programme. Doordarshan will telecast live proceedings of the function.

The paintings by children on different themes of human rights will be displayed at an exhibition at the venue of the function, which will also be showcasing the journey of the Commission through photographs of its various events and activities towards protection and promotion of human rights since the last Human Rights Day.

During the last 25 years, since its inception on the 12th October, 1993, the Commission has endeavoured to promote a culture of human rights. The NHRC, like most of the human rights institutions in the world, is a recommendatory body as per the Protection of Human Rights Act passed by Parliament. But this provision has not come in the way of most of the recommendations of the Commission being accepted by the Governments resulting in the trust and confidence of the people in it. This reflects in the increasing number of complaints it has been receiving every year.

Apart from looking into the complaints of the human rights violations, the Commission’s functions also include reviewing safeguards provided under the Constitution or any Law, make recommendations for effective implementation of International Conventions/Covenants, undertake research and organise seminars and discussion programmes on human rights issues, spread awareness about human rights and encourage efforts of non-governmental organisations towards promotion of human rights.

It has also been organising Camp Sittings for disposal of pending cases and Open Hearings of complaints of atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in different parts of the country for redressal of their problems. It has also been visiting, State-wise, different districts to make an assessment of enforcement of various measures related to human rights and implementation of welfare schemes so as to come out with recommendations for the governments’, committed to ensuring good governance.

It has made a number of interventions on key issues of human rights, which include, among others, issues of bonded and child labour, prison reforms, right to health, mental healthcare, rights of persons with disability, silicosis, illegal clinical drug trials, pesticides in food items, pricing of drugs, corporate-social responsibility, manual scavenging and sanitation, human rights of women.

In order to spread awareness about human rights and its activities, the Commission, apart from publication of monthly Newsletter in Hindi and English, has published more than 80 books and journals. Apart from the Centre and the State Governments, several organisations, NGOs of Human Rights Defenders and media have actively supported and supplemented the work of the NHRC towards promotion and protection of human rights.

*****