CJI commends NHRC for safeguarding Human Rights in India

New Delhi, Oct 12 (UNI) Commending the role of the NHRC in protecting the rights of citizens, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan today urged the Commission to set an agenda for State Human Rights Commissions to curb violations and promote a Rights-based regime.

''NHRC is playing a major role in safeguarding and promoting political, economic and civil rights of the people. It must set the agenda for State Human Rights Commission,'' Justice Balakrishnan said in his address at the 14th Foundation Day Function of the National Human Rights Commission.

The Chief Justice said people across the country should be sensitised about Human Rights and the State Commission should try and reach out to people.

About protecting the economic rights of the poor in the era of globalisation, he said it was the duty of the National Human Rights Commission to ensure equal opportunities for all sections of society.

On the occasion, Justice Balakrishnan released four films on -- HIV-AIDS-in the perspective of Human Rights, Manual Scavenging, Trafficking in Women and Children and Female Foeticide and NHRC publication on Old Age Pension Scheme.

The Commission came into being under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of September 28, 1993, which was later replaced by the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 (PHR Act).

Last year, the Commission held two important Camp Sittings one in Uttar Pradesh and the other in Bihar and intervened on a number of issues.

An important intervention of the Commission was the recommendation of interim relief of Rs 2.80 crore to the victims of atrocities by the Joint Task Force of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu while forest brigand Veerappan was being chased.

Another important intervention of the Commission was related to Nithari Village in Noida, UP, where children were sexually abused and murdered.

In its endeavour to bring about a sea change in the social strata, the Commission made an effort to raise awareness on human rights.

In this direction, it brought about recommendations on the introduction of human rights as a subject at school and college level in the form of two publications.

UNI