Human Rights inhere in a person by virtue of his/her being a human. They comprise both civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights.
Human rights and fundamental freedoms allow us to fully develop and use our human qualities, our intelligence, our talents and our conscience and to satisfy our spiritual and other needs. They are based on mankind's increasing demand for a life in which the inherent dignity and worth of each human being will receive respect and protection.
The denial of human rights and fundamental freedoms not only is an individual and personal tragedy, but also creates conditions of social and political unrest, sowing seeds of violence and conflict within and between societies and nations.
Citizens of certain Greek city-states enjoyed such rights as 'isonomia' (equality before the law), 'isotimia' (equal respect for all) and 'isogoria' (equal freedom of speech). These rights figure prominently in the modern human rights jurisprudence.
As the first sentence of the universal declaration of Human rights states, respect for human rights and human dignity "is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." Human rights issues in Asia are very different from those in a developed society. For a large number of people in this part of the world, human rights are related at once to food, shelter, education, employment and health.
The greatest need today is to increase awareness about human rights because every aware individual ceases to be a potential violator and instead becomes a potential protector.
It was with this is mind that RLEK, together with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the International Workgroup for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), organised an International workshop on "Human Rights of Marginalised and tribal communities and the role of the NHRC and NGOs in promoting human rights culture", from Oct 1-3, 1999 at Dehradun. The workshop proved to be an extremely positive step in the direction of inculcating and spreading a human rights culture.
The Workshop focused on imparting information and educating participants on the need for a human rights culture. One of the most important objectives of the workshop was to equip the participants with the information and skills for educating the vulnerable sections of society about their basic human rights. Developing a strategy to induce officials/authorities to have respect for Human rights was another major aim of the exercise.
The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India and the then Chairman of the NHRC. It was attended by many national and international dignitaries including Mr. Justice R. N. Misra, former Chief Justice of India and presently Member of Parliament, Mr. Justice J. S. Verma, also former Chief Justice of India and the present chairman of the NHRC, Dr. Kamal Hossain, Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Lokendra Bahadur Chand, former Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic resources, Sri Lanka, Mr. Justice V. S. Malimath, Mr. Justice Mukulgopal Mukherhjee, Mr Justice S. N. Bhargava and many other legal luminaries. There was also a very good participation of representatives of NGOs and various National and International donor agencies.
During the course of the workshop the "RLEK Human Rights Centre" was also inaugurated by Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah on 2nd October 1999. The Centre aims to inculcate and spread the human rights culture and usher in a just and equitable society. The Centre will act as an independent agency to create awareness about Human Rights and to supplement the initiatives of the National Human Rights Commission and the various State Commissions. It has already succeeded in making the Government activate the district level Human Rights courts in the state of Uttar Pradesh and will support similar steps in other parts of the country. In this direction the Centre took an ambitious stride by introducing a one year Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights offered by the RLEK Human Rights Centre is affiliated with Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan. The high esteem in which the Visva-Bharati is held nationally and internationally, and the fact that the founder of Santiniketan, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, was one of the foremost humanitarians in the world, has inspired us to seek association of our endeavor with the University. The recognition of our effort by Visva-Bharati will give an exclusive dimension to this course. Visva-Bharati is situated in the Eastern part of the country, while Dehradun is in the Northwestern part of the country. Thus, a linkage across the country will be symbolic of National Integration.
Dehradun is situated in the state of UP, where maximum Human Rights violation cases have been reported i.e., 42% of the total number of violations in the country are recorded and reported to NHRC, thus this state has become a focal point of Human Rights violations.
The course looks at Human Rights from a global perspective. It aims to be dynamic and innovative through initiation of participatory processes between the students and the faculty. It will provide a strong theoretical background on the developing debates along with hands on experience of issues being tackled by Non-Governmental Organisations and other institutions.
This course will provide organisations and institutions with people who are dedicated and committed to protecting Human Rights and are also technically qualified in the field. These professionals will not only ensure themselves jobs in their area of interest but will also contribute to promoting Human Rights culture in the Indian subcontinent.
The RLEK Post-Graduate Diploma Course in Human Rights will be a full time residential course. The first six months will consist of lectures and classroom discussions, after which the students will take an examination. Each student will then spend three months gaining practical experience working with an NGO or other institution in the field of Human Rights.
In addition to the permanent faculty, leading jurists, sitting Supreme Court Judges, several former chairpersons of the NHRC and officials of the United Nations will deliver lectures on a regular basis.
The course is open to all members of SAARC countries.
Head Office:-
68/1, Suryalok Colony, Rajpur Road, Dehra Dun 248 001 Uttaranchal
Phone: 91 135 2746071, 2745539
FAX 91 135 2741931, 2746881