National Human Rights Commission
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an independent statutory body formed under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Its main aim is to protect and promote human rights—like the right to life, dignity, liberty, and equality—guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
Structure and Appointment
Chairperson: A retired Chief Justice of India or Supreme Court judge.
Members:
- One former Supreme Court judge
- One former High Court Chief Justice
- Three human rights experts (one must be a woman)
Ex-officio Members: Chairpersons of other national commissions (SC, ST, Women, Minorities, etc.)
Appointed by: The President of India on recommendations by a high-level committee led by the Prime Minister.
Main Functions
- Inquire into human rights violations by public officials.
- Visit jails to ensure humane conditions.
- Recommend policy changes and reforms.
- Promote awareness and education on human rights.
- Review international treaties and guide implementation.
- Support NGOs and social workers in rights-based work.
State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs)
- Work similarly to NHRC at the state level.
- Handle rights issues within their respective states.
- Appointed by the Governor of the state.
Recent Issues
NHRC has faced criticism for being a “toothless body” as it cannot enforce decisions
Often highlights issues like police brutality, jail conditions, and custodial deaths.
How NHRC Helps
- Ensures human dignity in jails and police stations.
- Advises government on making laws and policies people-friendly.
- Serves as a watchdog for violations that courts may not immediately address.
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The NHRC is now led by Justice V. Ramasubramanian, a distinguished jurist with an active intention to strengthen the Commission’s authority and reaffirm its legal powers.
Here are more updates on Justice V. Ramasubramanian, the new NHRC Chairperson, highlighting his early actions, priorities, and key statements:
Focus Areas & Strategic Moves
1. Child Rights & Juvenile Justice
- Launched a Core Group on children in conflict with law on 4 Feb 2025, calling for authentic data collection and proposing a working expert panel to verify data from NCRB, BPR&D, NALSA, and High Courts .
- Advocated replicating diversion programmes (similar to UNICEF models) so that children avoid criminal records and have smoother social reintegration .
2. Digital Privacy as a Human Right
- Chaired an Open House on 19 Feb 2025 focusing on “Ensuring privacy and human rights in the digital era”.
- Emphasized that privacy must be treated as a fundamental human right, urging simplification of user agreements, stronger digital literacy, and clearer data breach accountability .
- Supported necessity for explicit penalities in data protection regulations & clear parental consent frameworks for minors .
3. Women’s Rights & ASHA Workers
- On 21 Feb 2025, spearheaded a session on “Empowering ASHAs: Securing their right to dignified work.”
- Acknowledged the crucial role of ASHAs in reducing infant/neonatal mortality and advocated for fixed salaries, social security (health and maternity benefits), and accident coverage .
- Emphasized collaborative planning between the Centre and states to uplift welfare standards .
4. Rights of Manual Scavengers
- Led a 6 Jan 2025 discussion on dignity and liberty for sanitation workers.
- Called out continued deaths due to manual scavenging despite legal bans and advocated mechanisation—starting with pilot programs using robots and ensuring transparent data monitoring .
✅ Summary: Vision & Direction
Justice Ramasubramanian is clearly shaping the NHRC’s agenda around:
- Child protection and fair juvenile justice
- Data privacy in rapidly digitalizing India
- Worker dignity, whether ASHAs or sanitation staff
- Institutional empowerment, both domestic and international
His tenure emphasizes proactive engagement—setting up expert groups, hosting inclusive discussions, and using pilot projects as policy builders. He is restoring NHRC’s assertiveness and visibility in areas once deemed “toothless”.
What is the NHRC?
The National Human Rights Commission is an independent statutory body in India, created under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to protect and promote human rights, including the right to life, liberty, equality, and dignity.
