Curtain Raiser: Secretary Level Meeting of the NHRC-SHRCs in New Delhi on 7th December, 2018. (06.12.2018)



New Delhi, 6th December, 2018

The NHRC Human Rights Commission, India is holding a half day long Secretary Level Meeting of the NHRC-SHRCs at India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi on 7th December, 2018. The aim of the meeting is to explore and further strengthen the areas of cooperation and partnerships.

Section 21 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 provides for constitution of State Human Rights Commissions in the States as well. The existence and functioning of a Human Rights Commission in the State goes a long way in the `better’ protection of human rights. It is now an accepted proposition that good governance and human rights go hand in hand. The Commission takes the initiative to hold regular interactions with the State Human Rights Commissions to explore and further strengthen the areas of cooperation and partnership.

As per the information received from the State Governments, 26 States have set up State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) viz. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (Combined SHRC), Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Goa, West Bengal and Meghalaya. The National Human Rights Commission too is keen that such State Human Rights Commissions are set up in every State so that human rights protection is more easily accessible to every citizen.

The Commission has taken up with the Government, the issues for evolving a basic structure, minimum manpower and financial requirement of SHRCs to enable them to discharge their functions assigned under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and to streamline complaint disposal by the SHRCs. The response is still awaited since the 23rd March, 2015.

Besides this, the recommendations, which emanated from the last NHRC-SHRC meeting of the Chairpersons, Members and senior officers of the NHRC-SHRCs on 17th February, 2017, were sent to the Chief Ministers of all States/UTs.

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