Copenhagen: Justice Arun Mishra chairs session at international meet of National Human Rights Institutions

The session, titled 'Practical perspective on protection: Complaints, investigations, access to justice, and reparations,' drew significant interest from NHRIs representing various countries.

During this session, Justice Mishra provided insights into Indian jurisprudence and the practices that have evolved over the years, both within the judiciary and NHRC. Notably, he highlighted the novelty of public interest litigation (PIL) in courts and the Suo Moto cognizance taken by NHRC.

The 14th International Conference of NHRIs is set to delve into the crucial role of these institutions in combating and preventing torture and ill-treatment. Co-hosted by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), the UN Human Rights Office, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the conference will convene in Copenhagen from November 6 to 8, 2023, GANHRI said in a statement.

This triennial event aims to enhance cooperation among NHRIs and address pertinent issues on their agenda. The previous International Conference, held in 2018 in Marrakech, Morocco, centered on the role of NHRIs and their contributions to expanding civic space and supporting human rights defenders, particularly women human rights defenders (WHRDs), the statement added.

The 14th International Conference will explore practical and effective methods NHRIs can employ to uphold human dignity and freedom from torture and ill-treatment, in accordance with the Paris Principles. The emphasis will be placed on cooperation at regional and international levels.

This gathering offers NHRIs worldwide an invaluable opportunity to consolidate previous achievements, share experiences, identify best practices, and reaffirm their commitments to safeguarding the rights of all individuals. The central focus remains on preventing torture, a violation of human dignity and humanity, under international law, the statement read.

The conference will facilitate extensive exchanges, knowledge sharing, examination of good practises and challenges, and input from relevant stakeholders. The objectives encompass a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by states in combating torture and ill-treatment, strategies for NHRIs to mitigate these practises, identifying best practises, and exploring collaborative efforts to address these issues effectively.

At the conference's conclusion, NHRIs will outline a set of practical strategies in an outcome document to promote and protect the rights of all individuals to be free from torture and ill-treatment, it added. (ANI)