SAARC's Kathmandu summit in November should form human rights mechanism: Civil rights groups

By A Representative
Nearly 100 civil society organizations and individuals from across 20 Indian states have asked the Government of India to work with other South Asian countries to establish a regional human rights mechanism to solve crucial issues nagging vulnerable sections of population in the region. Sponsored by Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Delhi-based advocacy groups, the consultation of civil rights groups took place in Delhi on August 26-27 as part of the regional initiative for a South Asian human rights mechanism, begun four years ago.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the only inter-state regional organization in the world which does not have a human rights mechanism. The consultation “expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current state of human rights in the region and in India”, a statement issued by the organizers said. The participants adopted a Delhi declaration to work towards such a mechanism. A working group comprising of 12 persons was also formed to ensure implementation of the declaration.
Speaking at the convention, well-known human rights campaigner Teesta Setelvad of the Centre for Peace and Justice, fighting several 2002 Gujarat riots cases, said, “Given the lack of accountability and commitment to human rights by the governments in the region, we should resolve to establish a people’s mechanism in the interim and strongly advocate for the states to set up a regional mechanism for South Asia”.
The consultation took place against the backdrop of the preparations for SAARC summit scheduled in Kathmandu on November 22-27, the statement said, adding, “The participants emphasized the need for the proper implementation of human rights instruments adopted by SAARC and its member states.”
“Regional cooperation is incomplete and meaningless without committing to protection of human rights at the regional level. SAARC will continue to be a muted organisation unless it takes a proactive role in the promotion and protection of human rights in the region”, said Gayatri Khandhadai, South Asia programme officer, FORUM-ASIA.
“From Sri Lanka to Afghanistan, the people suffer while perpetrators enjoy impunity. The people and governments of South Asia must come together immediately to prevent any further violations. This is the only way in which we can ensure peace and stability in the region.” explained Mr. Henri Tiphagne, convenor, WGHR.
The statement underlined, “While Europe, Americas, Africa, Southeast Asia and Arab States have been successful in evolving regional mechanisms, South Asia lags behind with no serious dialogue on regional human rights issues”.
“The regional mechanisms in other parts of the world have made considerable contributions to promoting and protecting human rights and democracy. SAARC, which is best poised to host such a mechanism in South Asia, must also follow the good practices in other regions. SAARC member states must formally engage in discussions for the establishment of a South Asian human rights mechanism at the upcoming SAARC summit.” urged Miloon Kothari, convener, Task Force, Regional Initiative for a South Asian Human Rights Mechanism.
Meanwhile, the civil society groups a delegation of persons from Afghanistan, India and Nepal met the National Human Rights Commission of India, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Parliamentarians, advocating for the establishment of a South Asian human rights mechanism and greater cooperation in the protection and promotion of human rights. The delegation was thoroughly encouraged by the support and response of the civil society and officials.
The civil society’s regional initiative for South Asian human rights mechanism is began following the sub-regional consultations held in Kathmandu in 2010 and 2011. It formed a collaborative platform of civil society and individuals from the region committed to the cause of furthering human rights and peace in the region. The mission of the forum is to advocate for, and help create an environment conducive for the establishment of a South Asia Human Rights Mechanism.

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

Love letters in a lifelong war: Babusha Kohli’s resistance in verse

By Ravi Ranjan* “War does not determine who is right—only who is left.” Bertrand Russell’s words echo hauntingly in our times, and few contemporary Hindi poets embody this truth as profoundly as Babusha Kohli. Emerging from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kohli has carved a unique space in literature by weaving together tenderness, protest, and philosophy across poetry, prose, and cinema. Her work is not merely artistic expression—it is resistance, refuge, and a call for peace.

Authoritarian destruction of the public sphere in Ecuador: Trumpism in action?

By Pilar Troya Fernández The situation in Ecuador under Daniel Noboa's government is one of authoritarianism advancing on several fronts simultaneously to consolidate neoliberalism and total submission to the US international agenda. These are not isolated measures, but rather a coordinated strategy that combines job insecurity, the dismantling of the welfare state, unrestricted access to mining, the continuation of oil exploitation without environmental considerations, the centralization of power through the financial suffocation of local governments, and the systematic criminalization of all forms of opposition and popular organization.

The golden crop: How turmeric is transforming women's lives in tribal India

By Vikas Meshram* When the lush green fields of turmeric sway in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, it is not merely a spice crop — it is the golden glow of self-reliance. In villages where even basic spices once had to be bought from the market, the very soil today is yielding a prosperity that has transformed the lives of thousands of families. At the heart of this transformation is the initiative of Vaagdhara, which has linked turmeric with livelihoods, nutrition, and village self-governance — gram swaraj.

Echoes of Vietnam and Chile: The devastating cost of the I-A Axis in Iran

By Ram Puniyani The recent joint military actions by Israel and the United States against Iran have been devastating. Like all wars, this conflict is brutal to its core, leaving a trail of human suffering in its wake. The stated pretext for this aggression—the brutality of the Ayatollah Khamenei regime and its nuclear ambitions—clashes sharply with the reality of the diplomatic landscape. Iran had expressed a willingness to remain at the negotiating table, signaling a readiness to concede points emerging from dialogue.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

The price of silence: Why Modi won’t follow Shastri, appeal for sacrifice

By Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey* In 1965, as India grappled with war and a crippling food crisis, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri faced a United States that used wheat shipments under the PL-480 agreement as a lever to dictate Indian foreign policy. Shastri’s response remains legendary: he appealed to the nation to skip one meal a day. Millions of middle-class households complied, choosing temporary hunger over the sacrifice of national dignity. Today, India faces a modern equivalent in the energy sector, yet the leadership’s response stands in stark contrast to that era of self-reliance.

False claim? What Venezuela is witnessing is not surrender but a tactical retreat

By Manolo De Los Santos The early morning hours of January 3, 2026, marked an inflection point in Venezuela and Latin America’s centuries-long struggle for self-determination and independence. Operation Absolute Resolve, ordered by the Trump administration, constituted the most brutal and direct military assault on a sovereign state in the region in recent memory. In a shocking operation that left hundreds dead, President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were illegally kidnapped from Venezuelan soil and transported to the United States, where they now face fabricated charges in a New York federal detention facility. In the two months since this act of war, a torrent of speculation has emerged from so-called experts and pundits across the political spectrum. This has followed three main lines: One . The operation’s success indicated treason at the highest levels of the Bolivarian Revolution. Two . Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and the remaining leadership have abandone...

Search This Blog