The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : NHRC prepares module and syllabus on human rights

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

NHRC prepares module and syllabus on human rights

Staff Reporter

To be incorporated in schools and universities

MADURAI: The National Human Rights Commission has prepared module and syllabus on human rights to be incorporated in schools and universities, its member and former Supreme Court judge Shivaraj V. Patil has said.

Addressing a function to mark the inauguration of a 15-day training programme for students on human rights being organised by the Society for Community Organisation (SOCO) Trust here on Sunday, Dr. Patil said the commission wanted to empower the common man to realise human rights through education.

“People can take care of themselves if they know what human rights are. … they can assert themselves and knock at the doors of authorities concerned seeking enforcement,” he said.

A majority of the 314 staff members in the NHRC did not have the minimum knowledge of human rights, he said and added that the commission was seriously thinking of amending recruitment rules.

Earlier, former Chief Justice of India P.N. Bhagwati released a book on “Justice Shivaraj V. Patil on Human Rights,” (selected speeches of Dr. Shivaraj V. Patil) published by the SOCO Trust. Madras High Court Judge P. K. Misra received the first copy.

Dr. Bhagwati said human rights should not be confined to civil and political planes. “A man with hungry stomach cannot exercise right to speech. So social, cultural and economical rights are equally important and they should go together with civil and political rights.”

He said the dream of human rights for all should overcome hurdles such as poverty and destitution. Common man could realise the fruits of freedom only through human rights that ensure right to food, healthy environment and shelter. High Court Judge Mr. Misra and Madurai Collector S.S. Jawahar were among those who spoke.

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