Curtain Raiser:-<br> <br> NHRC's two day National Seminar on "Right to Information, Human Rights : The Present Scenario"

New Delhi 20th May 2009

Right to Information Act has evolved as an important tool of realizing human rights of the people in the country. In fact, the Right to Information ensures participation of people in the issues of governance in a democracy in a more meaningful manner. Transparency in governance is a pre requisite to the protection of human rights. The Right to Information Act has given credence to transparency which used to be only a buzz word till Parliament passed the Right to Information Act in 2005. The National Human Rights Commission sees Right to Information as an effective mechanism for the promotion and protection of human rights. Using this right, the people in the country have initiated a work culture in the systems of the governance at various levels even as a lot is still to be done. In this context it is organizing a two day National Seminar on "Right to Information, Human Rights : The Present Scenario" on 21st and 22nd May, 2009. The Commission is also giving awards to 11 writers on the occasion whose writings have been chosen under its scheme of honouring outstanding books and original manuscripts in Hindi on human right related issues. The scheme started in 1998.