Human Rights Day, celebrated on 10 December, reminds the world of the importance of ensuring equality, justice, and dignity for all people.
Human Rights Day 2024
- Significance: The day highlights society’s commitment to the protection of human rights and justice.
- Theme for the year 2024: “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now”. The theme focuses on the following points:
- Empowering communities to take ownership of their rights.
- Urgently addressing issues such as gender inequality, freedom of expression, and climate justice.
- Integrating human rights into frameworks that ensure development and inclusiveness.
History
- Beginning: Human Rights Day began in 1950.
- Main event: On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
United Nations Human Rights Council
- Established: 2006
- Member countries: 47 (including India)
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Secretariat: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Main objectives
- Prevent hate speech, fake news and human rights violations.
- Promote equality and eliminate discrimination.
- Ensure the protection of justice, freedom and dignity.
Protection of human rights in India
Under the Indian Constitution
- Fundamental Rights (Part III): Guarantee of the right to life, liberty and equality.
- Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV): Responsibility of the state for the welfare of citizens.
- Preamble: The values of justice, freedom, equality and fraternity are clearly reflected in the Preamble of the Constitution.
National Human Rights Commission
- Year of Establishment: 1993 (As per Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
- Act: Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993
Main Objectives
- To protect the rights of the individual to life, liberty, equality, and dignity.
Main Functions
- Investigate complaints relating to human rights violations.
- Resolve and redress cases.
- Propaganda and awareness raising of human rights.
- Prevention of human rights violations.
- Prepare and publish reports.
Powers
- Examine and summon witnesses.
- Intervene in court and advise on related issues.
- Power to make recommendations and take corrective measures.
Members and Organization Structure
Structure
- Chairman: Retired CJ/SC Judge.
- Members: 5 full-time and 7 part-time.
- Administrative Head: Secretary General.
- Tenure: 3 years or till the age of 70 years.
- Appointment: Member by the Appointments Committee, which consists of the Prime Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha, Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha, Home Minister, and Leader of Opposition.
- Removal: By the President on the ground of misbehavior or incapacity.
State Human Rights Commission
- Established under the PHRA Act, 1993.
- Appointment: By the Governor.
- Control: By the President