NEW DELHI, Dec 10:
State human rights commissions should be given adequate resources for their effective functioning in view of financial and other constraints and also to strengthen rights protection framework in the country, NHRC chief K G Balakrishnan today said.
“In addition to the NHRC at the national level, State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) have been set up in 23 states. Yet, wherever they exist, they face considerable challenges in functioning to their full capacity due to considerable financial, manpower and other constraints,” he said.
“It is therefore, vital that the central and state governments provide these commissions with the necessary resources to enable them function effectively. Thus, strengthening of the overall human right protection framework in the country would be possible,” he added.
He was speaking on the occasion of the Human Rights Day.
The NHRC has also taken numerous initiatives for the strengthening of State Human Rights Commissions, including writing to state governments to set up SHRCs where they do not exist as yet, he said.
He also said that the belief and confidence reposed by the common man in the Commission in general and a growing human rights awareness in particular, have led to a phenomenal increase in the number of complaints.
The number of complaints grew from 496 in 1993-94 to 95,174 fresh cases in the year 2011-12, with action having been completed in nearly 94,942 cases, he said.
“Till date the Commission has been in a position to decide an estimated 11 lakh cases. Coming to interim relief, during 2011-12, the Commission had recommended such payment in 592 cases, amounting to a total of about Rs 15.59 crores,” Balakrishnan said.
“It has been our experience that nearly 98 per cent of our recommendations are readily accepted, thus, earning it the trust of not only civil society but also governments of the day.”
He also said that to monitor the plight of child and bonded labour more effectively, the Commission has been conducting spot enquiries and surprise visits through its specialised Cell.
On the intervention of the NHRC, the customary ‘bartan’ system in Odisha was officially recognised as debt bondage and subsequently, abolished by the state government through a public notification. He said that the Commission has also initiated open hearings across various states based on complaints regarding atrocities committed against persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes. (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel