National Human Rights Institutions of nine countries will hold a six-day meet here from Monday for discussions on enhancing the promotion, protection, and strengthening of human rights across diverse regions.

The six-day meet is being organised by the National Human right Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Apart from India, officials from the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Jordan will attend the programme.

The customised programme for senior officials of NHRIs of Global South aims to provide participants with valuable insights into various aspects of human rights including NHRC, India’s extensive experience over the past three decades and its civilisational ethos of empathy and compassion. It will enrich participants’ knowledge by offering a platform for sharing best practices, experiences, and ideas related to the promotion and protection of human rights.

The participants will engage in technical sessions covering various aspects of human rights, including NHRC’s comprehensive online complaint management system, advanced investigation mechanisms, emerging human rights issues, and the influence of business, technology, and sustainable development on human rights, among others.

The speakers, among others, include former NHRC Members, Justice M M Kumar, Dr Dnyaneshwar M Mulay and Mr Rajiv Jain, NHRC, India Secretary General; Mr Bharat Lal, India’s former Ambassador to UN, New York; Mr Asoke Kumar Mukerji, UN Resident Coordinator, India; Mr Shombi Sharp, Former DG (I) of NHRC; Mr Manoj Yadava, Former DG of Election Commission of India; Mr Akshay Rout and Mission Director, NITI Aayog and Mr Yugal Kishore Joshi.

The initiative is a part of NHRC’s ongoing outreach efforts to enhance understanding and appreciation of various aspects of human rights and help in building capacity among senior functionaries of NHRIs. The NHRC has previously organised similar programmes, including a residential capacity-building programme for the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives in 2023.