New York: National Human Rights Commission Secretary General Bharat Lal addressed the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York on 'India's Approach to Human Rights and said that India has established a robust institutional framework to protect and promote human rights.

Further, he highlighted that Indian society has had a deep-rooted ethos of empathy and compassion since ancient times, which has remained embedded alongside various social and political reforms over the centuries.

The New York roundtable was moderated by Ambassador Ken Juster, a former US Ambassador to India and Distinguished Fellow at CFR, NHRC said in an official statement

The event was attended by distinguished individuals from academia, NGOs, civil society, business, industry, think tanks, and the diplomatic community. The talk was followed by a question-and-answer session.

Lal emphasised the Indian culture of providing refuge to persecuted people from various parts of the world, the making of the Indian Constitution, the Preamble and its primacy to Fundamental Rights, and the vision outlined in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

He said that in India, civic and political rights are guaranteed under the Constitution and the Supreme Court as well as the High Courts have vast jurisdiction. The fiercely independent judiciary is the custodian of Fundamental Rights. Of late, concerted efforts are being made to improve the quality of life and dignity of every individual. Digital governance, developmental schemes, and legislative actions are transforming people's lives.

The NHRC, India Secretary General, also stated that Indian ethos is also about assisting other countries in strengthening their democratic institutions and building capacity to ensure public service delivery.

"As a matter of principle, India treats the whole world as one family and is always ready to help any country, especially in times of need, without interfering in their internal affairs. India never waged a war against any country, as the concept of non-violence is ingrained in our various religions and societies," he added.

Lal said that India has established a robust institutional framework to protect and promote human rights.

Further, he also added that NHRC collaborates with other commissions at the national level and with State Human Rights Commissions at the state level. To effectively address human rights issues

"The NHRC, India, works at the apex level with other commissions and at the state level with the State Human Rights Commissions. The NHRC has over 30 Special Rapporteurs and Special Monitors, and 12 Core Groups, which include members from academia, NGOs, civil society, and human rights defenders," the Secretary General said.

He also affirmed that in recent times, NHRC, India has been very proactive, reaching out to different parts of the country and civil society. As a result, the number of suo motu cases taken up by the NHRC has increased manifold. The Commission has increased its outreach and the use of digital technology is helping in capturing instances of human rights violations in different parts of the country. A special focus is on improving the quality of life and ensuring dignity to the most vulnerable groups of people like transgender, beggars, widows, persons suffering from mental health issues and leprosy, trafficked girls, aged people, children, truck drivers, etc.

"We have to build partnerships and work together to ensure that every person has assured basic amenities, and ample opportunities to excel and contribute meaningfully. We need to ensure that no one is left out," he added.

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