News

Volume 8 Issue 8 - November 15, 2011

Stakeholders’ Report for the U.P.R.

The second Universal Periodic Review (U.P.R.), which is a peer review system by the Member States of the Human Rights Council (H.R.C.), is due for India in 2012 and the civil society has been very active in the preparation of the Stakeholders’ Report. The last date for the submission of the report to the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (O.H.C.H.R.) is November 28, 2011.

The Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (W.G.H.R.) – established in January 2009 by a group of civil society organizations and independent experts working in the field of human rights in India – held regional as well as national consultations with various N.G.O.s and independent experts to review the human rights issues that should be raised at the U.P.R.

The National Human Rights Commission (N.H.R.C.) too held an independent consultation process with N.G.O.s to take stock of the human rights issues of concern.

The disability sector was represented at both consultations and helped to elucidate the critical issues faced by persons with disabilities in India.

National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P.) along with its partners is also preparing a Stakeholders’ Report. This Report is being prepared by National Disability Network, which comprises of D.P.O.s, disability N.G.O.s and persons with disabilities from all the 35 States and Union Territories of India. Twenty two organisations representing various disabilities and from across the country have participated in the preparation of the Report.

Consultations for drafting this Report were held at the sidelines of the Workshop, ‘Monitoring Implementation of C.R.P.D.’ organised by International Disability Alliance (I.D.A.) and N.C.P.E.D.P. from 7th to 10th November, 2011 in New Delhi, which was attended by a select group of 30 disability leaders.