Status of NGO’s in Human Rights arena

Status of NGO in Human Rights arena

It is always felt very incomplete without specifying the role as well as the character which the Non-Governmental Organization are executing for the proper accomplishments of the Rights of each and every Human being, by which some of the citizens are not able to avail their rights because of different violations which the particular class or group of people or individually too, the Humans are suffering, just because of the other person’s dominating competence.

Therefore, it is very much in need for the world at large to understand the indispensable role which the Non-Governmental Organization are playing in maintaining, preserving, protecting, promoting, providing for the effective implementation of the Human Rights which are somewhere gets exploited by others just for their own sake.

If the years of the working of the NGO’S would be given an account, they have been working in a regress manner since the end of the 1970’s, there has been a volatile impact of locales, national as well as international organizations which were framed voluntarily for the promotion and protection of the rights of Human beings respective of not one but on all the continents of the world. And these voluntary organizations which were meant or formed or established for the potential security of the rights of every human being, by which the citizens were devoid of or deprived of.

Many different NGO’S which formed worked in accordance with their area of interest, widely, there areas of interest were classified upon the various loopholes or dissection which were prevailing in the society, whether at domestic levels, regional levels, or more vividly at international arenas.

Discussing more of on the Non – Governmental Organizations working in the Indian Context, the various fields which are kept in consonance with those who need protection in regards with their rights, which mainly is inclusive of welfare for the children, protection and preservation of Environment, Bonded labour problems and various discriminations, Rights of women, Health related issues, protecting and promotion of the rights of indigenous groups.

The extraordinary role which is been procuring by the Non-Governmental Organization in regards with the Human Rights has been appropriately provided and have been given special recognition in the Protection of Human Rights Act- 1993.  Section 12(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act- 1993, expresses the Commission to “encourage the efforts of non-governmental organizations and institutions working in the field of Human Rights”

NGO’s very effectively looks for problems of which even the Constitution of the India is against in context with the certain problems which are needed to be dissolved which includes problems pertaining with child labour, child prostitution, tribal problems, issues of dalits, issues of refugees and also the other vulnerable groups.

Functions of NGO’s in the preservation of human rights

As it is actualized principle that in the human rights arena the functions of NGO’s are indispensable. The NGO’s to find their functional interest upon which they want to work for irrespective of whether they are in relation with political, social, economic, and cultural perspective based, thus the functional characteristics of each and every NGO got their own perspective of thinking towards an issue upon which they are functioning.

Allocating information and their evaluation

The primary function upon which the NGO’s are engaged upon in dealing with the cases pertaining with the human rights issues violations is that of collecting the information, gathering and evaluate the information keeping in mind all the pre – requisites which are necessary and provide us with the effective output within prescribed time.

Thus, it is very recognizable principle which plays a very trustworthy role, upon which the citizens can rely upon. Hence, it is one of the most effective functions played by the NGO’s. Hence, the productivity comes into the working of the NGO’s by their monitoring, research skills and the functional characteristics to implement the cause, it has a great importance.

Advocacy to stop abuses and secure redress

Advocacy, here generally means that looking up and taking up the case immediately, or whenever they come to reach of any body’s human rights violations, the NGO’S advocated their clients and it becomes very necessary to speak on their part as they are voiceless and needs a legal aid, thus it is also one of the requisite functions of the NGO’s. Thus, the NGO’s are more focused in providing up of the social welfare programs for the citizens.

Legal aid, scientific expertise and humanitarian assistance

Human right is a very vast and a wide topic which not only includes for the protection of the rights violations, but also to secure and to provide human rights assistance when required. It may include providing up of food facilities, providing with clothes, check up- to maintain their health, awareness campaigns on various matters, providing shelter to the homeless or street children, etc. 

Managing Solidarity among the citizens

NGO’s play a very dominant as well as an extravagant role for boosting up of the people or the groups who become the sufferers of the gross violations upon them which may include workers and peasants, various organizations comprising up of women, children, indigenous people, religious groups, etc. Therefore, for maintaining the dignity of the vulnerable sectors of the society, the NGO’s work very hard to bring them among the equals and aware them about their rights indifferently guaranteed by the Constitution and several other laws of the country by which the citizens get governed. Thus, it can be said that the NGO’s provide up for the mediatory role in pursuance with the objectives which needs to be satisfied by the Organization.

Education with empowerment

It is very well known principle that people cannot defend themselves until and unless they are not much widely are acquainted about their rights, and this becomes the base line for the NGO’s to work upon the lines of the human rights and provide with each and every legal assistance which is possible to do by them by imparting the knowledge, providing basic education, opening up of educational institutions. By these means it will empower and boosts the people or the citizens of the Country to be aware and stand for their rights to get protected.

For getting this purpose to be accomplished they involve themselves with many activities which may include- consultations, workshops and seminars and training courses for those who are abused much in the society as well as for the vulnerable classes. Thus it can be said that the NGO’s tends to provide consultative role for the needy.

Human Right & NGO

Human rights, the basics are which can be collateral with Rights pertaining to life, liberty, equality, freedom, dignity of citizens which are provided by the constitution of the India to its citizens or which are preferably described in the international covenants or which are enforceable in the courts situated in India.

Differently categorized, Non-Governmental Organizations work from the base level to the extreme level. The Base level work or the primary level which may take the involvement if certain pressure groups from prescribed human rights violations, or problems in concerned with environmental because of which human or suffering or any other problems. On the other hand when we refer to the extreme level conditions which may include gross violations like problems in context with refugees, educational rights of the children, dignity of women, religious and cultural rights and many more issues.

Role of NGO

The world conference which assembled in Vienna (Austria) in the year 1993, with the main objective of promoting and to access the progress which has been done for protecting the human rights. The 38th number of the resolution of the particular declaration which provides the importance of the NGO’s and their significant role is much needed for the promotion and the protection of the human rights has been incorporated or mentioned. 

Role of NGO at national level in protecting human rights of the people

Sulabh Movement:-

This movement paved the way for the Dalits, for their welfare and betterment, which is very much required as the half of the society neglects them and humiliates them too many a times, thus for their protection and bringing them among equals in the society is much required.

Child relief and you :-

This organization is committed and works for the upliftment of many children who have been kept deprived of their childhood and have not been engrossed towards a better future and where they can contribute something for them and where they suffer a lot because of the humiliation.

Campaign against child labour:-

This Organization works for the removal of the issues pertaining with Child Labour, and the method which they uses to eradicate the problem of Child Labour is by providing education, taking very many awareness programs, rescuing children from bondage or from where they are been getting abused.

Saheli and Chetna:-

They are also the type of the Non-governmental Organization which are being focused for the protection and promotion of the rights pertaining with women, they by providing them with free legal aid, so as they could be able to fight for their rights against any type of gender biasness or discrimination.

Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service:-

This Organization mostly focuses on providing with the productivity to the citizens who are not able to afford or are deprived of the proper health care as well as nourishment and works in every field such as Schools, Slums, Villages.

People’s Union for Civil Liberties:-

As the name of the Organization suggests that the Organization works for the welfare as well as for the defending up of the civil liberties which human beings are deprived of because of certain backgrounds, thus the Organization protects the rights of the citizens.

Bandhua Mukti Morcha:-

Bandhua Mukti Morcha, also known as the Bonded Labour Liberation Front which is a Non Governmental Organization which works to end the Bonded Labour Problems in India, thus taling actions over such problems to solve such violations which are being fall under the Human Rights.

Role of NGOs & judiciary in protecting the Human Rights

As it is a very well established fact that Non-Governmental Organization plays a very pivotal role in protecting and promoting human rights, but it should also be noticed that the NGO’s need a wide support of our Judiciary. To protect the victims, who suffered gross violations of the human rights, in regards to this the NGO’s have applied or approach to the Indian Judiciary in different forms like by filing cases, writ petitions, public interest litigation on behalf of victims or public has suffered from the violations of the rights which are humanly recognized.

NGO’s have addressed against many illicit violations against human rights like, which of the following includes- Bonded Labour, Fake encounters by police, Protection of the rights of the Women and Children, Custodial death as well as violence associated thereto, safely detection from the torture and other illicit practices which leads to violations of the Human rights. Judiciary, here found measures and passed well appropriate orders and provided for the reasonable and proper judgments in the favor of the Human rights presented by the NGO’S.

Cases

Below mention are few cases where the NGO’s put forth their issues in front of the Judiciary and how it leads to bring out or generate new rights for the people :-

1) Vishaka & Ors v. State of Rajasthan & Ors. (AIR 1997 SC 3011)

In this specific case law, for the protection of the woman employee who was subjected to the sexual abuse by her officer, the NGO filled for the petition to draw the attention of the Court, on the heinous crimes which are being committed with the women and thus this decision lead to the self empowerment of the women. 

2) Sunil Batra v. Delhi Administration (AIR 1978 SC 1675)

Sunil Batra with an NGO Citizens for Democracy looked upon the issue of Illegal Detention of certain prisoners and convicts even after their criminal trial Courts have acquitted him, which infringed the personal liberty of that person as well as the jail authorities breached the responsibilities or duties which they should work carefully upon. 

3) Prem Shankar Shukla v. Delhi Administration (AIR 1980 SC 1535)

In this famous landmark Judgment, the Right against Handcuffing was incorporated as a new fundamental right, as handcuffing should be applied only till, when the police can see the danger that the convicted person would try to escape out of the police control and not on any assumptions they should be handcuffed.

4) Hussainara Khatoon v. Home Secretary, Bihar (AIR 1979 SC 1360)

In this particular case the writ of Habeas Corpus was being raised by the NGO for the prisoners who were kept in jail waiting for their trial to happen, and thus in this regard the fundamental right was being incorporated for the Right of Speedy Trial. 

Contribution of NGO’s for the protection of Human Rights

Thus, the contribution of each and every NGO working for the protection and promotion of the Human Rights is much needed and provides very supportive role in encouraging and imparting the knowledge and values pertaining with the Human Rights violation and if the rights are getting violated then every mis-happening or wrongdoings in the civil society is associated or know that the present case should be presented before the Hon’ble courts as far as the Indian Judiciary is concerned.

The Non-Governmental Organization mobilizes the public opinion and tries to maintain the dignity and characterizes the flaws victimization of humiliation done against the gross violations. Thus because of their social welfare, supportive and consultative role, they contribute a lot to the society as a whole which is beneficiary. The NGO’S to tries to pressurize the Government on certain issues which is much recognized and where there is much danger for the security from the gross violations. Their approach towards the Judiciary on behalf of the sufferer against the human rights violations and protected the affected person’s human rights too.

Conclusion

The NGO play important role to become a concrete expression of international, national and regional and local level voice to assist and stand up for those who can’t speak themselves. As for now, it becomes very clear each and every human being possess certain general and obvious human rights which are meant for their welfare and which are available to everyone without any discrimination against their will, as well as human rights are protected as well as ensured by the United Nations Charter, Conventions, Treaties which India looks for or follows for.

Considering the position or the status of the human rights arena, irrespective of the vanguard role of Judiciary in the country, the Non Governmental organizations also have an important role in protection of human rights. The Non Governmental organizations work from grass roots level to the national and international level in the protection of human rights.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1) How the Non – Governmental Organizations put forth differently on various matters, what are their classifications?

Many different NGO’S which formed worked in accordance with their area of interest, widely, there areas of interest were classified upon the various loopholes or dissection which were prevailing in the society, whether at domestic levels, regional levels, or more vividly at international arenas.

2) Under which Section of the Statute the NGO’S have been given preference in regards for the protection and promotion of Human Rights?

Section 12(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act- 1993, expresses the Commission to “encourage the efforts of non-governmental organizations and institutions working in the field of Human Rights”

3) Why the Functioning of the NGO’S are considered to be effective and efficient?

The NGO’S to find their functional interest upon which they want to work for irrespective of whether they are in relation with political, social, economic, and cultural perspective based, thus the functional characteristics of each and every NGO got their own perspective of thinking towards an issue upon which they are functioning.

4) How the NGO’S find their working and what is their approach?

Non Governmental Organizations work from the base level to the extreme level. The Base level work or the primary level which may take the involvement if certain pressure groups from prescribed human rights violations, or problems in concerned with environmental because of which human or suffering or any other problems. On the other hand when we refer to the extreme level conditions which may include gross violations like problems in context with refugees, educational rights of the children, dignity of women, religious and cultural rights and many more issues

5) How important is the role of NGO’S in securing up of the rights of the citizens and how they pave their way in providing justice to the sufferer or victims of the Human Rights Violations?

The Non-Governmental Organization mobilizes the public opinion and tries to maintain the dignity and characterizes the flaws victimization of humiliation done against the gross violations. Thus because of their social welfare, supportive and consultative role, they contribute a lot to the society as a whole which is beneficiary. The NGO’S to tries to pressurize the Government on certain issues which is much recognized and where there is much danger for the security from the gross violations. Their approach towards the Judiciary on behalf of the sufferer against the human rights violations and protected the affected person’s human rights too.

Edited by Chiranjeeb Prateek Mohanty
Quality check – Ankita Jha
Approved & Published – Sakshi Raje