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Daily Current Affairs for UPSC

Global UN body’s accreditation deferment to NHRC

(Syllabus- GS Paper 2, Important international institutions)

Context- The UN recognised Global Alliance of National Human rights Institutions (GANHRI) for the second time has deferred the accreditation of the National Human Rights Commision, India.

 Key highlights:

  •  The GANHRI has been citing objections such as political interference ,involving police in probes into human rights violations and poor cooperation with civil society.
  •  The GANHRI has also cited in a letter to the NHRC about the lack of diversity in staff and leadership, insufficient action to protect the marginalized groups as reasons for the deferment of the accreditation.

 The issue

  • The deferment move came after seven human rights watchers and institutions like the Amnesty International, Christian Solidarity worldwide,Frontline Defenders,Human rights Watch,International commission of Jurists ,International Federation for Human rights  and the World Organsation against Torture wrote a letter to GANHRI objecting the NHRC India’s ‘A rank. 
  • The bodies raised concerns regarding the NHRC’S lack of Independence, plurality, diversity and accountability that are in contrast to the United Nations ‘principles on the status of national institutions( The Paris Principles).
  •  The Paris principles set out six main criteria: mandate and competence, autonomy from government,independence guaranteed by a statute of the constitution, pluralism, adequate resources and adequate powers of investigation.
  • The NHRC has repeatedly failed to deliver ist mandate particularly to protect the rights of people form the marginalized community, religious minorities and human rights defenders.
  •  The NRHC,India set up under the Protection of Human rights Act 1993, passed by the parliament  was accredited an ‘A’ status since the beginning of the accreditation process for  NRHIs in 1999 which it retained in 2006,2011 and in 2017 also after a deferment.

 About GANHRI:

  • The Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions is an organization affiliated to the UNHCR- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
  •  It brings together and supports national human rights institutions and represents more than 100 national human rights institutions around the world. The accreditation by the subcommittee to GANHRI is essential to represent india at the UNHCR- United Nations Human Rights Council
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