What Happened?
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) deferred the accreditation of India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for a second year.
This decision could impact India's voting rights in the Human Rights Council and some UN General Assembly bodies.
Reasons for Deferral (as per previous GANHRI report):
Lack of transparency in NHRC member appointments.
Appointment of police officers to oversee human rights investigations (potential conflict of interest).
Lack of gender and minority representation in the NHRC.
Challenges in Addressing Concerns:
Difficulty in implementing structural changes during India's recent general elections.
Addressing concerns may require time and potentially further discussions with GANHRI.
Background:
This is the first time India's NHRC accreditation has been deferred for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024).
Previously, "A-status" accreditation was deferred in 2016 but restored in 2017.
The NHRC was established in 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act.
Possible Contributing Factors:
Concerns raised by civil society organizations and human rights activists about India's human rights record.
GANHRI's assessment that the NHRC may not be fully independent from government influence.
Next Steps:
Potential review of the deferral decision by GANHRI later in 2024 (September) or May 2025.
India needs to address concerns raised by GANHRI to regain "A-status" accreditation.
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