NHRC chief Dattu to continue being member of GANHRI

NHRC chairperson Justice H L Dattu will continue to be a member of the Bureau of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), officials said Wednesday. "His position was ratified during the annual meeting of the GANHRI general assembly in Geneva on March 5, wherein he is leading an NHRC, India delegation," the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement.

The delegation also includes Justice P C Ghose, NHRC member, and Jaideep Govind, the commission's secretary general. "Justice H L Dattu, chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, India continues to remain a member of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), Bureau," the statement said on Wednesday.

Dattu was appointed to this position in 2016 after emerging as the unanimous choice of the NHRIs from the Asia Pacific region, it said. He is representing the Asia Pacific region along with the representatives of three more NHRIs in the region at the GANHRI Bureau meetings, the statement said.

Justice Dattu's vast experience and legal expertise is considered useful in giving shape to the approach of the GANHRI on human rights issues being faced by the international community, it said. "The GANHRI Bureau is an important human rights body, which serves as the Management Committee of the GANHRI. The GANHRI Bureau implements all the decisions of the GANHRI general meetings and directs the operations of the GANHRI between these meetings," the statement said.

"The GANHRI Bureau consists of sixteen, 'A' status NHRIs, four from each region, namely, Americas, Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Besides the Annual General Meetings, the NHRC, India has been regularly taking part in its activities as an active Member of the GANHRI," it said.