HUMAN RIGHTS NEWSLETTER, JUNE, 2020 Inside ..... Quote 2 Cases from Investigation Division 11 Meeting of Core Group members on Bonded .. 2 Recommendations for Relief 11 The NHRC-NALSAR Conference on Integrating ... 2 Payment of Relief on NHRC recommendations 12 Important Interventions: Suo Motu Cognizance ... 3 Other important seminars/programmes/conferences 12 Cases of Human Right Defenders 9 Human Rights and NHRC in News 12 Cases handled by Focal Point of HRD ... 10 Complaints in May, 2020 12 Visit NHRC, India at: www.nhrc.nic.in; @India_NHRC 1 HUMAN RIGHTS NEWSLETTER, JUNE, 2020 “To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than | a thousand heads bowing in prayer” ― Mahatma Gandhi Meeting of Core Group members on Bonded and Migrant Labour he Supreme Court of India 2. Organized National Level Standard Operating Procedure Tentrusted the National Human Seminars and Regional (SOP) for Identifi cation and Rights Commission, NHRC, workshops in Bonded Labour Rescue of Bonded Labourer India with the responsibility of prone States to sensitize various and Prosecution of Offender, monitoring and overseeing the Stakeholders; circulated by Ministry of implementation of its directions as Labour and Employment, A Meeting of Core Group members well as provisions of the Bonded Government of India on August on Bonded and Migrant Labour Labour System (Abolition) Act, 17, 2017. was scheduled for 1st May, 2020: - 1976 in all States/UTs. d. Observations on State Standard The main issues to be discussed Accordingly, the NHRC took Operating Procedures (SOP) in the meeting were: stock of the situation and the on Bonded Labour brought following charter of activities were a. Issues for clarifi cation out by the State Government taken up by the Commission on the regarding authentic of Karnataka on 10th February issue of Bonded Labour: interpretation of the Bonded 2020. Labour (Abolition) Act, 1976 1. Constituted Core Group on However, due to the prevalent Bonded Labour to review b. Issues of concern in corona lockdown, this meeting existing Act, Rules and Implementation of Central was postponed. It will be Schemes of the Central and sector Scheme for rehabilitation organized through Video State Governments on Bonded of Bonded Labourers-2016. Conferencing. Labour; c. Clarifi cations on Central The NHRC-NALSAR Conference on Integrating Women’s Development with Nation’s Development he NHRC, India organised academics, women as and children, relation between Ta conference on Role of entrepreneurs, industry experts father and children, elderly in Stakeholders held on 17th January, and law students and others civil families, relatives, fi nancial/ 2020 at NALSAR, Hyderabad. society members to discuss issues social status of family, relations under the following broad themes; between husband and wife etc. The main objectives of the (1) Sociological Dimensions, and conference were: (i) to raise 2. Proposal for universal basic (2) Women’s 21st Century Stories. awareness among various income should be made. In Each of the panel discussions stakeholders of the various issues order to alleviate the issue of were further divided in to sub- specifi c to women’s development, gender inequality across the themes. The themes for the paper (ii) to start a dialogue among country, the universal basic presentation sessions were (1) stakeholders at various levels – income is crucial to address the Economics Through the Lens students, academics, practitioners issue of not paying women for of Feminism, and (2) Women in – of the ways in which women’s the unquantifi able tasks that Democracy. development shall positively they regularly perform. Wage impact the development of the The Commission has approved disparity in unorganized sector country, (iii) to attempt to identify the recommendations of this should be tackled by strict various areas that need the conference. Some of the major implementation of related laws attention of society and law-making recommendations are as follows: and breaking social stereotypes bodies which shall bring about the surrounding women. 1. To conduct research to study results aforementioned. the impact of economically 3. Proper and prompt redressal of The conference saw the independent/ working women violations of rights of women participation from practitioners, on relation between mother should be done, especially at 2 HUMAN RIGHTS NEWSLETTER, JUNE, 2020 workplaces. In cases of human should be setup for encouraged. In relation to the rights violations, putting maintenance of hygiene and role of women, self-help groups the victim as the centre of sanitation. This will also could act as a tool for women’s the criminal justice system discourage dropout of girl development and help in (instead of merely focusing on students from schools. building confi dence in them. the perpetrators) might be a 5. Women’s education and 7. Encouraging men to share the more effective way of helping entrepreneurship should responsibility of household as women, especially the ones be encouraged. This is the women are sharing the outside who fall a prey to the cruelties single most important tool for responsibilities, by awareness of migrations gone wrong. bringing out change. programs. 4. Suitable infrastructure in 6. Self-help groups should be schools and at workplaces Important Interventions he Commission took suo motu citizens lost their life and thousands the particular industrial unit and to Tcognizance in 10 cases of alleged had fallen sick, was indeed a submit a report to the Commission. human rights violations reported serious issue of violation of human As per early reports in the by media during 1-31st May, 2020 rights. Right to life of the victims media, the incident occurred at and issued notice to the concerned was grossly violated. At a time a chemical plant at LG Polymers authorities for reports. Summary of the when the human lives across the Industry at RR Venkatapuram cases is as follows: country were at stake due to spread near Naiduthota area of the district of Covid-19 virus and everyone Case No. 1023/1/21/2020 around 3.00 AM on 7th May, 2020. was forced to stay indoors, the The unit manufactures polystyrene NHRC notice to Andhra Pradesh gruesome tragedy had come as bolt and its co-polymers. An evacuation Government and Centre over from the blue for the people. deaths and sufferings to several drive had reportedly been started people due to styrene gas leakage Accordingly, the Commission by the police authorities and the in Vizag District issued a notice to the Chief District Collector was monitoring Secretary, Government of Andhra the situation. The NDRF and SDRF The National Human Rights Pradesh calling for a detailed report teams were also deployed in the Commission, NHRC, India took in the matter including status of the area as mentioned in the news suo motu cognizance of media rescue operation, medical treatment report. reports about the death of eight provided to the people fallen Case No.518/13/4/2020 persons and over fi ve thousand sick and relief and rehabilitation others falling sick due to leakage provided by the state authorities to Mowing down of 16 migrant of styrene gas in Vizag District the affected families. workers by a goods train of the State of Andhra Pradesh early morning on 7th May, 2020. A notice was also issued to The National Human Rights The leakage of the gas reportedly the Director General of Police, Commission, NHRC, India issued affected people within a radius of Andhra Pradesh to inform within notices to the Chief Secretary, about 3 kilometers. Many people four weeks about registration of Government of Maharashtra and could be seen lying on roads, while FIRs in the matter and status of the the District Magistrate, Aurangabad some complained of diffi culty investigation being conducted. after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about mowing down in breathing and rashes on their The Commission also of 16 migrant workers by an empty bodies. considered it appropriate to bring goods train in the early hours the matter to the notice of the Union The Commission observed that on 08th May, 2020. The incident Ministry of Corporate Affairs and though prima-facie, there were no happened between Badnapur asked through its Secretary to reports regarding human error or and Karmad stations in Nanded examine whether the norms laid negligence till the time of its suo Division. motu cognizance of the matter down under relevant provisions of but the fact that at least 8 innocent the law were being implemented at The offi cers were directed to 3 HUMAN RIGHTS NEWSLETTER, JUNE, 2020 submit a detailed report, within and two others succumbed to are the ones, who are frontline four weeks to the incident. It should injuries later. The workers, who fi ghters to curb the spread of also include details of the steps were walking to Bhusawal from Covid-19 virus. Alleged denial taken by the State and the district Jalna to board a “Shramik Special” of admission in the hospital to a authorities to provide food, shelter train to return to Madhya Pradesh, policeman, who had been doing and other basic amenities to the were sleeping on the railway line his duty sincerely, is a matter poor people, especially the migrant when the mishap occurred between of concern for the Commission. laborers, who were facing extreme Badnapur and Karmad stations Timely treatment to the young diffi culties. The details of the in Nanded Division. Reportedly, constable might have saved his life. relief and rehabilitation provided about 20 workers were walking They reported incident, seemingly, to the victim laborers and their from Jalna to Bhusawal, which also sends a message that the dependents along with status of is about 150 kilometers. They patients were, perhaps, not being the medical treatment provided to stopped after walking for about 45 attended by the hospitals and the injured was also required to be kilometers to take some rest and Covid-19 centers, as per standard given in the report.