Amend human rights Act to make NHRC effective: Sathasivam -Governance Now

Amend human rights Act to make NHRC effective: Sathasivam

Lack of awareness about laws, inadequacies of the legal system and the lack of sufficient support from the legal services authorities needs to be focused on

Archana Mishra | December 12, 2016 | New Delhi

#Human rights #NHRC #P Sathasivam #legal system #laws #amendment #parliament

Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam, who is a former chief justice of India, has suggested that an amendment in the Protection of Human Rights (PHR) Act will make National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) more effective.

“Commission should consider approaching the parliament through the government to seek an amendment in the PHR Act to make its recommendation effective. It should be able to execute its recommendations,” Justice Sathasivam said during the Human Rights Day function.

According to him, excesses of laws, lack of awareness about them, inadequacies of the legal system as well as the lack of sufficient support from the legal services authorities need to be focused on to ensure the protection of human rights in the country.

Bezwada Wilson, national convener of the Safai Karamchari Andolan and recipient of this year's Magsaysay award, said that despite several efforts, a lot needs to be done to build awareness about the necessity to recognize the rights and dignity of people working in sanitation area.

Wilson, who has worked for the rights of manual scavengers, said, “Till today, people of certain caste are working as manual scavengers, cleaning sewages. Many have lost lives in this activity. But nobody talks about them. We need to understand that caste itself is a big human rights issue.”

He told Governance Now: “NHRC needs to get over with its ceremonial kind of activities. Their work is not satisfactory as they are failing to instill confidence among the vulnerable population. They should protect the most marginalised and voiceless people. Politicians becoming member of the commission will dampen the spirit of the NHRC.”

Read The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993

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