The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : The Banyan launches Human Rights Cell

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Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

The Banyan launches Human Rights Cell

Special Correspondent

This is more of a self-regulatory exercise: Vandana Gopikumar

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

Creating standards: Kanimozhi, Member of Parliament, chairing the first meeting of the Human Rights Cell at The Banyan’s ‘Adaikalam-Transit Care Centre’ in Chennai on Monday. K. Natraj, DGP, Fire and Rescue Services (third from left) and Vandana Gopikumar, founder trustee, The Banyan (right), are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Banyan on Monday launched a Human Rights Cell at its “Adaikalam Transit-Care Centre” to serve as an in-house benchmark for providing a fair deal for its residents across all aspects of care and rehabilitation.

Kanimozhi, MP, launched the centre that will adhere to a charter of human rights evolved in line with guidelines of World Health Organisation.

Ms.Kanimozhi also chaired the first meeting of the Human Rights Committee that includes external experts where six grievances were taken up for redressal.

Essentially, the charter acknowledges a person’s rights to live with dignity, to privacy, health, holistic care, work, and, as far as possible, lead a productive life in the community.

“This is more of a self-regulatory exercise where Banyan establishes standard guidelines for the sector. Ideally, such mechanisms will be replicated across other institutions on a voluntary basis,” said Vandana Gopikumar, founder trustee, The Banyan.

K.Natraj, Director General of Police, Fire and Rescue Services, advocated a watchdog role for the Committee that would strive for sustaining high quality of services.

Sudha Ramalingam, High Court advocate, called for raising awareness among Banyan dependants on the exact role of the panel and how it can help their cause.

She pointed out that a case of human rights violation could be made only against the Government as it was implicit that the State was the protector of the people, and all other cases of injustice came under the ambit of the Indian Penal Code.

According to Ms.Gopikumar, The Banyan philosophy was to uphold self-determination and offer care and support that would eventually lead to the choices of discharge and rehabilitation for the client. The average duration of stay ranges between six months to two years, she pointed out.

The Human Rights Cell is expected to complement the services of the transit care centre which currently has 230 residents.

The patient, on arrival, will be briefed on the nature of illness, process of treatment, services on offer and procedures of discharge.

The case manager then takes over and takes the client to other members of the team — care-givers, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers.

The patient is assigned to one of the four dorms ranked in accordance with severity of illness. Every three months, clients are reviewed for voluntary membership by the committee which will also regulate requests for admissions.

The committee is to meet on the last Friday of every month.

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