The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will defend the Indian government’s human rights processes in Geneva on May 1. At the meeting, a decision will be taken regarding the awarding of ‘A status’ to the NHRC. The rating of the body was put on hold in 2023 due to concerns regarding its composition procedure, the involvement of police in investigation processes, and the lack of gender equality and minority representation in the body.
Key highlights
- As part of the five-year peer review for its members, the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) will take place on May 1.
- The NHRC’s ability to vote at the UN Human Rights Council and some UNGA bodies will be affected by the rating -A or B- it gets.
- NHRC had maintained an A rating in 2006 and 2011, and its rating was earlier put on hold in 2016 as well.
- Nine human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have recently written a letter to the GANHRI raising concerns about human rights conditions in India.
- The SCA has also suggested removing the accreditation of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Niger, and Russia.
About the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
- It was established in 1993, under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), to protect human rights to life, liberty, equality, and dignity. The act has been amended twice, in 2006 and 2019.
- The body consists of a Chairman, five full-time members, and seven deemed members. All its members are appointed by the President of India basis of the recommendation of a six-member committee, consisting of the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha speaker, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, leaders of the opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and the Union Home Minister.
- The term of service of the members is three years or until the age of 70.
- The body has the power of a civil court with judicial proceedings, however, its recommendations are non-binding in nature.
- It encounters a shortage of resources and is unable to punish the violators.
About GANHRI
- It is a UN-recognized body that was established in 1993.
- GANHRI is a 120-member body. Out of these nations, 88 have A ratings and 32 have B ratings.
- The secretariat of GANHRI is situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
