Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)

Context

The Geneva-based, United Nations-linked Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has recently deferred the accreditation of the National Human Rights Commission-India (NHRC) for the second year in a row. 

Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)

• It is a statutory organisation affiliated to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• It is a global network of national human rights establishments (NHRIs) that works to promote and defend human rights.
• GANHRI represents 120 NHRIs from around the sector.
• GANHRI’s project is to unite, promote, and support NHRIs to perform in keeping with the UN Paris Principles.

Accreditation by the GANHRI

• Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) evaluates NHRIs every 5 years, and there is an enchantment technique for NHRIs to ensure more transparency and due method.
• In a completely unique peer-overview-based accreditation system, GANHRI ensures NHRIs’ compliance with internationally known requirements – the Paris Principles – to ensure their independence, pluralism and accountability.
• The Paris Principles set out across the world agreed minimal standards that NHRIs should meet to be considered credible.
• The six principles require a country‘s human rights organisation to be impartial from the government in its structure, composition, selection-making and technique of operation.
• An NHRI is reviewed by the SCA when –
  • It applies for preliminary accreditation
  • It applies for re-accreditation every five years
• The occasions of the NHRI alternate in any manner that may have an effect on its compliance with the Paris Principles.
• NHRIs which might be assessed as complying with the Paris Principles are authorized with ‘A repute’, whilst those who partly comply are permitted with ‘B status’.
• This accreditation reputation influences a rustic’s capability to vote at the UN Human Rights Council and some UNGA bodies.
• India’s accreditation: India’s NHRC got ‘A’ fame of accreditation for the first time in 1999, which it retained in 2006, 2011, and in 2017 after it became deferred for a year.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

• About

• • • It is a statutory frame mounted under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.  The Commission is the watchdog of human rights inside the country.

• Composition 

• • • It is a multi-member body along with a chairperson and 5 participants.
    • The chairperson ought to be a retired chief justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.
    • Members need to be a serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court, a serving or retired chief justice of a high court and three persons (out of which at least one must be a woman) having knowledge or practical experience with respect to human rights.

• Appointment & Tenure

• • The chairperson and participants are appointed by the President on the pointers of a six-member committee along with:
  • Prime Minister as its head; Speaker of the Lok Sabha; Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha; Leaders of the Opposition in each the Houses of Parliament; Central Home Minister
  • The chairperson and members are appointed for the term of three years or until the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
  • The chairperson and members are eligible for reappointment.

NHRC-India accreditation repute review

• • On May 1, 2024, NHRC’s performance was to be reviewed so one can determine on the accreditation reputation.

• Observations made by SCA

• • • The committee’s modern report remains awaited. However, its preceding document (2023 report) had referred to some of the motives for recommending the deferral. 
  • Composition: lack of transparency in appointing participants to the NHRC,
    • appointment of police officers to oversee human rights investigations
    • lack of gender and minority illustration at the member panel.
  • The NHRC’s scores were put on preserve in 2023 over these issues

• India’s stand

• • GANHRI wanted India to make some structural adjustments and include some suggestions given by them. However, this was not possible right now because of the ongoing general elections in India.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q.Critically examine the role of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in promoting human rights in India. (250 Words)

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