UN group defers accreditation of India’s NHRC for many reasons

0
159

A United Nations-recognised global alliance of human rights body has deferred the accreditation of India’s National Human Rights Commission for the second time in a row citing political interference in appointments, involvement of the police in inquiry into cases of human rights violation, insufficient action to protect marginalised groups, lack of diversity in staff and lack of cooperation with the civil society as among the reasons.

Seven human rights bodies had written to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in March, flagging the “lack of independence, pluralism, diversity, and accountability” in the NHRC. The signatories to the letter included Amnesty International, the Centre for Policy Research and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, whose foreign funding licenses have been cancelled or withheld by the Indian home ministry.

In the latest review of the status in March, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions put the National Human Rights Commission’s accreditation on hold. If the commission does not address the concerns raised by GANHRI within a year, India’s statutory human rights body could be downgraded.

The accreditation of the National Human Rights Commission had been put on hold in 2016 as well. But after a year of deferment, its “A” status was eventually retained in November 2017, The Hindu reported.

Leave a reply