India completes UN human rights review

India became a party to the ICCPR in 1979 and has undergone three such reviews so far, the last being in 1997.

NEW DELHI: India successfully concluded its fourth periodic review by the UN Human Rights Committee under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in Geneva on Tuesday.

The Indian delegation, jointly led by Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. (X/IndiaUNGeneva)

The Human Rights Committee, comprising 18 independent experts, monitors the implementation of the ICCPR, reviews reports of all countries by conducting periodic reviews and make observations and recommendations.

The Indian delegation, jointly led by Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, included secretary (West) Pavan Kapoor and senior officials from the ministries of women and child development, social justice and empowerment, electronics and information technology, minority affairs, external affairs, tribal affairs, home affairs.

The rights and freedoms provided in the ICCPR are guaranteed under the Constitution and legislative and judicial framework, the external affairs ministry said. India became a party to the ICCPR in 1979 and has undergone three such reviews so far, the last being in 1997.

The fourth periodic review, done during July 15-16, saw the Indian delegation engaging in “constructive dialogue” with members of the Human Rights Committee on a range of issues related to civil and political rights, the ministry said.

Members of the Human Rights Committee posed questions on diverse topics such as anti-corruption measures, non-discrimination, the status of women and minorities, counter-terrorism and national security measures, judicial framework, privacy and data protection laws, and India’s new criminal laws.

The Indian side highlighted its success in the “protection of rights of vulnerable groups” and recalled the country’s contributions to the evolution of the global human rights framework, the ministry said.

During the discussions, the members of the Human Rights Committee spoke “appreciatively of the traditions and ethos” of India, rooted in pluralism, non-violence and diversity, the ministry further said. “It was also noted that India is a vibrant parliamentary democracy, which successfully concluded the largest democratic exercise recently,” it added.

The review demonstrated India’s commitment to engaging with the international human rights framework and its “willingness to address concerns while continuing its efforts towards protection and promotion of human rights of its citizens”.