ITEC Capacity Building Programme on Human Rights for Global South NHRIs Begins

Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of NHRC, India, inaugurated the event by highlighting India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The six-day Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Executive (ITEC) Capacity Building Programme on human rights, organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India in collaboration with the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), commenced today in New Delhi. The programme has drawn participation from 47 representatives of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) across 14 countries from the Global South, including Madagascar, Uganda, Samoa, Timor Leste, DR Congo, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Mauritius, Burundi, Turkmenistan, and Qatar.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of NHRC, India, inaugurated the event by highlighting India's rich and diverse cultural heritage. He acknowledged that while India thrives in unity despite its diverse communities, traditions, and languages, this diversity also presents challenges in human rights implementation. He emphasized that every nation faces unique socio-cultural, political, and economic challenges, making it difficult to apply uniform solutions to human rights issues based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Instead, he advocated for a contextualized approach tailored to each country's realities.

Justice Ramasubramanian underscored the importance of platforms like ITEC, which provide a valuable opportunity for nations to exchange experiences and best practices in human rights protection. He expressed gratitude to all the participating NHRIs for accepting NHRC, India's invitation to collaborate and share knowledge. He also referenced ancient Indian texts that have long upheld human values and ethical governance, asserting their relevance in contemporary global human rights discussions.

Insights from NHRC Members

Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, NHRC Member, highlighted the Commission's pivotal role in shaping India's human rights framework. He noted that India adopts a balanced approach to human rights, valuing both individual and collective rights, in contrast to many Western models that emphasize individual freedoms. He reiterated that India's engagement in international human rights forums reflects its dedication to fostering a just and equitable global order. He encouraged participants to leverage the training to develop a nuanced understanding of human rights in alignment with national contexts while upholding universal values of dignity, justice, and equality.

Smt Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, another NHRC Member, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts in enhancing human rights protection. She highlighted key thematic areas of NHRC, India's focus, such as promoting gender equality, protecting marginalized communities, and safeguarding vulnerable populations affected by development and displacement. She stressed that through shared wisdom and collective action, participating nations could reinforce human rights protections across their respective regions.

NHRC Secretary General's Opening Remarks

Shri Bharat Lal, NHRC, India's Secretary General, reiterated India's longstanding tradition of sharing knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of humanity. He stated that the training programme embodies this spirit of cooperation, providing an avenue for mutual learning. He also elaborated on India's federal structure in human rights governance, which includes 27 State Human Rights Commissions alongside the NHRC and other regulatory bodies working to uphold the rights and welfare of diverse societal segments. He emphasized that NHRC, India, not only functions as an advocacy body but also plays an active role in enforcing human rights protections.

Programme Structure and Expert Sessions

The capacity-building programme features multiple sessions led by distinguished national and international human rights experts. These sessions will cover a wide range of human rights aspects, fostering dialogue and sharing of best practices to address contemporary challenges effectively.

Senior officials from NHRC, India, and MEA were present at the event's inauguration, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening human rights institutions and fostering global cooperation in this critical domain.