NHRC India got ‘A’ status by Global Alliance of Human Rights Institutions

New Delhi, March 5: India’s National Human Rights Commission has successfully retained its status A in the rankings of the Global Alliance National Human Rights Institution (GANHRI). The global alliance has given The National Human Right Commission of India ‘A’ status in the fourth row of five years.

This was announced at an annual meeting of the GANHRI at Geneva. The Accreditation confers international recognition and protection of the Human Rights commissions. The ‘A’ status accreditation also grants participation in the work and decision-making of the GANHRI, as well as the work of the Human Rights Council and other UN mechanisms.

The NHRC statement says that the participation in Paris included Justice H.L. Dattu, Chairperson, NHRC, Justice P.C. Ghose and Secretary General Ambuj Sharma. The NHRC, India got 'A' status of accreditation first time in 1999 which is retained in 2006 and 2011 also. It was under the process of review for 2016, which was to be held in the second session of 2017, when the Sub Committee on Accreditation of GANHRI recommended giving 'A' status again to the NHRC, India in November 2017.

Adopted in 1993 by the United Nations General Assembly, the Paris Principles require NHRIs to protect human rights, including by receiving, investigating and resolving complaints, mediating conflicts and monitoring activities; and promote human rights, through education, outreach, the media, publications, training and capacity building, as well as advising and assisting the Government.

The Paris Principles set out six main criteria that NHRIs require to meet. These are Mandate and competence, Autonomy from Government, Independence guaranteed by a Statute or Constitution, Pluralism, Adequate resources; and adequate powers of investigation. The GANHRI found the NHRC, India perfect on all these counts to be given 'A' status of accreditation with it.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a permanent observer on the Sub Committee on Accreditation, SCA and serves as the secretariat to the GANHRI and its SCA. Measures that the GANHRI adopted to improve the process include a system by which NHRIs are reviewed on a periodic basis of 5 years; an appeal process for NHRIs to ensure greater transparency and due process from its stakeholders.