NHRC, India's second ITEC Executive capacity-building programme on human rights for NHRIs of Global South concludes

NHRC, India Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, addressed the valedictory session in the presence of Members Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, and Secretary General Bharat Lal.

The programme, which began on March 3, saw the participation of 35 senior functionaries from 11 NHRIs of Madagascar, Uganda, Timor-Leste, DR Congo, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Burundi, and Turkmenistan. It also included interactive sessions with eminent persons and domain experts, and participants were exposed to various aspects of civic and political rights, as well as socio-economic and cultural rights enjoyed by the people of India.

During the 6-day programme, speakers included NHRC Chairperson, Members, Secretary General V K Paul, NITI Aayog member, Rajeev Kumar, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Yugal Kishore Joshi, Mission Director at NITI Aayog, and Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, former PR of India to UN, Chris Garroway, Economist and Development Coordinator, United Nations, Manoj Yadava, former DG(I), Surajit Dey, former Registrar (Law) and Anita Sinha and D K Nim, former Joint Secretaries of the NHRC, according to a statement from the NHRC.

The NHRC statement read that the programme was also enriched by the sharing of experiences by the participating senior functionaries of various NHRIs.

In his closing remarks, the NHRC Chairperson, Justice V Ramasubramanian, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all attendees. He emphasised that free exchange of knowledge is the foundation of a better world, stating that humanity has the power to create a just and harmonious society on Earth. Citing the Rig Veda, he underscored the importance of welcoming noble thoughts from all directions and reiterated that the ultimate aim of all human endeavors is to enhance the quality of life for all.

He reflected on the universal essence of humanity, drawing parallels between the unity of mankind and the singularity of gold despite the multitude of jewels it forms. Concluding his address, he reminded all participants that the highest virtue is to be a good human being. Reiterating his remarks in the inaugural session, the NHRC, India Chairperson said that platforms like ITEC provide an opportunity to share and exchange each other's rich cultural diversity and human rights values, to think and find ways on how best to address the ever-emerging human rights challenges.

NHRC, India Member, Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, acknowledged the participants' dedication to human rights advocacy and applauded their enthusiasm and commitment to meaningful change. He reaffirmed the NHRC India's commitment to strengthening future collaborations with NHRIs worldwide. Quoting the philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (The World is One Family), he emphasised NHRC's vision of fostering global solidarity in protecting and promoting human rights.

NHRC India Member, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, expressed gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions, recognising their engagement and willingness to share insights. She emphasised the Commission's commitment to continuous learning and collaboration and extended warm wishes for International Women's Day, underlining the importance of gender equality and human rights for all.

Before this, NHRC India Secretary General Bharat Lal commended all attendees for their active participation. He highlighted the significance of cooperation among the countries of the Global South, emphasising their shared values and mutual learning opportunities. He also discussed the signing of potential Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with interested countries to deepen this collaboration. Notably, he offered the NHRC's knowledge and experience in strengthening human rights in their countries, including advanced complaint redressal system software, for robust grievance redressal mechanisms and further strengthening human rights enforcement.

The participants also got the opportunity to visit iconic places like Pradhan Mantri Museum, Humayun Tomb, Taj Mahal, Delhi Haat, etc., to have an exposure to India's rich cultural heritage.

NHRC India Director Lt Col Virender Singh, the course coordinator, applauded the active engagement of participants and the invaluable exchange of knowledge throughout the programme. Vikram Harimohan Meena, SSP, co-course coordinator, emphasised the role of law enforcement in human rights protection, advocating greater synergy between policing and human rights organisations. (ANI)