HC Judge inaugurates seminar on Globalisation of Human Rights

Tirupati, Feb 10 (UNI) The phenomenon of globalisation is relatively of recent origin but studies and researches being conducted the world over still remain inconclusive on its effect on human rights, Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge Mr Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy said here today.

In his key address at the National seminar on "Globalisation, State and Human Rights" organised by the Sri Venkateswar University's Department of Human Rights and Social Development here, Mr Reddy said analysts and political scientists have identified different areas where globalisation affects human rights.

This includes the citizenship gap where globalised states introduce new threats and provide declining opportunities to citizens even as increasing numbers of residents lack citizenship claims.

He said commodification, globalisation of markets leading to political impact of economic globalisation and the contradictions between economic and global liberalism for social rights and communication, where information technology has inherent potential and pitfalls in the field of human rights and cooperation and which explores the emerging exercise of institutional authorities across borders on behalf of human rights calls for increasing mechanism of international accountability.

With globalisation bringing in a package of transnational flow of people, production, investment, information, ideas and authority, he said the state was bound to face new challenges in protecting the rights of their citizens.

The executive, legislature and judiciary, which are popularly known as the three pillars of the Indian democracy collectively constitute both the centre and the level of all states therefore, it is axiomatic when one speaks of the role of the state. It is rather imperative to be mindful of the role each of these three organs play in protecting human rights, he said.

Justice Reddy noted that apart from the Constitution incorporating various facets of human rights both by way of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles, the Parliament enacted various laws on subjects such as Child Labour, National Commission for Minorities Act 1980, The National Commission for Women Act 1990, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Constitution 65th Amendment)Act 1990, Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, The National Commission for Backward Classes Act 1993, persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) act 1995, to effectuate various facets of human rights embodied in the Constitution.

One of the foremost legislations made by the Parliament in this regard was passing the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, under which a Constitution of the National Human Rights Commission at the national level and the State Human Rights Commissions at the state levels were envisaged, he said.

The National Human Rights Commission constituted under the Act is functioning as an effective and vibrant body dealing with a number of human rights violations all over the country. Some of the states, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have already constituted State Human Rights Commissions, Justice Reddy said.

It was significant to note that under Section 12(G) of the said Act, one of the functions of the National Commission is to undertake and promote research in the field of human rights, he said.

Therefore it is desirable for the commission to identify the precise areas of human rights violations due to globalisation and make recommendations to the Central Government to enable it to undertake remedial measures, including steps to bring in new legislations, he added.

UNI