India’s Human Rights Accreditation Status

Context

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is preparing to defend the government’s human rights processes at a meeting in Geneva this week, where a decision on whether India’s human rights body will retain its “A status” is expected to be made.

India’s accreditation status under review

• Current position of India’s Human Rights Commission is beset with many doubts where indeed human rights need to be protected at international level.
• The government is thinking of reacting in response to the critical reports, which the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) will present at the meeting in Geneva.
• And in that forum the “A status” retention of the national body human rights in India is the main topic but to some extent, it will be resolved.
• This Indian scrutiny and accountability mechanism is the subject of attack by an organisation known as GANHRI. In addition, the news of the purported misconduct and the events surrounding it are greatly criticised on social media. The question of what role of NHRC and the people that may be part of it is raised in the context of its operation.
• Besides that, the second geographical meeting of NHRC also takes place in March. In this meeting, considering NHRC’s work done in the past, it will be placed as either good or not that much good.
• They may also not present their opinion if they are not considered good and the challenge of negotiating human rights within them might be a task.
• The Indian side in this case has used other officials to support them in presenting a number of arguments.
• Time and again the Indian authorities’ opinions faced the same commentary as history shows. Moreover, many islanders suffered one or another of depression or even suicide after the disaster along with the grave downturn. However, brave islanders bypassed these to be able to rise from the ashes even faster.
• Moreover, NHRC seems to be insufficient to foster the process of law, and also the police are a part of investigations.

Regarding the meeting

• The meeting regarding the above issue is at Geneva, Switzerland.
• The meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the UN-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) worldwide will be held on May 1 as part of the five-year peer review for each member of the 114-member alliance. 
• The NHRC is expected to attend the review meeting online this year.

Regarding the accreditation status

• Since being accredited in 1999, India has retained its A ranking in 2006 and 2011, while its status was deferred in 2016 and restored after a year. 
• The decision over whether the NHRC is given an A or B rating would affect its ability to vote at the UN Human Rights Council and some UNGA bodies.

Claims made by Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA)

• According to a six-point submission by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) in March 2023, the NHRC has failed to create the conditions required to be able to operate independently of government interference. 
• The NHRC’s ratings were put on hold in 2023 due to concerns about its composition procedure, the presence of police personnel in human rights investigations, and the lack of gender and minority representation. 
• The committee slammed India for involving police officers in its investigative process, calling it a “conflict of interest.”

What is the national human rights commission (NHRC)?

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has been instituted as the country’s national human rights organisation and operates under the 1993 National Human Rights Commission Act to enforce and protect human rights.
• National Human Rights Commission is a country level human rights institution of India, which was made in 1993 to widen and protect human rights at domestic levels.

Why is the GANHRI (Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions) being created, and what is it?

• The International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions or ICC (which staff was recently placed under the auspices of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and has changed its name to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, GANHRI) is a global network of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) which is tasked to coordinate the relationship between NHRIs and the UN human rights system.
• That means it is a one of a kind non-UN body signed by UN resident coordinators in official letters and translation of the 1993 Paris Principles clause into local languages to allow for access to UN Committees as well.
• Institutions which are in compliance with the Paris Principles (SCA of GANHRI said “A status”) mostly get the UN rights bodies (such as ministries, governing or non-governmental bodies) speaking rights as well as their seating. They often are the ones that are allowed to take part in the Human Rights Council.
• The members of GANHRI participate actively in the official meetings, sometimes speaking on behalf of their individual NHRIs or groups. The UN Human Rights Council, for example, is observed by GANHRI representatives when they speak on behalf of their individual NHRIs or groups, especially by its regional groups.

Conclusion

• India is under the watchful eye of GANHRI, whether NHRC is autonomous or its composition is an issue that is domineering. The ipod of a Geneva assembly will affect India’s appraisal to UN bodies. 
• Obstacles are situated among the discrimination due to the caste of people, gender inequality, also those incidents against the security authorities. 
• India needs to look into these issues to aid the process of enhancing its stature as a reliable and upstanding country that respects human rights.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Discuss the significance of India’s human rights accreditation status and its implications on the country’s commitment to upholding human rights standards. How does this accreditation influence India’s domestic policies and international standing in the context of human rights advocacy?

Download as PDF