NHRC Action On Tribal Suicides In Kerala:
The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a news report highlighting an alarming rise in suicides among the tribal population in Kerala’s Peringammala Panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district. The report revealed that 23 suicides occurred in 2024, following 138 suicides in the region between 2011 and 2022.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):
- The NHRC is an independent statutory body established on October 12, 1993, under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
- It serves as a guardian of human rights in India, overseeing the rights associated with life, liberty, equality, and dignity as guaranteed by the Constitution of India and international covenants.
- The NHRC aligns with the Paris Principles on Human Rights, ensuring accountability and compliance.
- According to Section 2(1)(d) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, human rights encompass the rights related to life, liberty, equality, and dignity protected by the Constitution or outlined in international treaties enforceable in Indian courts.
- The NHRC is a multi-member body, comprising:
- Full-Time Members:
- A chairperson (retired Chief Justice of India or Supreme Court judge).
- Members include a sitting/retired Supreme Court judge, a Chief Justice of a High Court, and three experts in human rights (one must be a woman).
- Ex-Officio Members: Chairpersons of:
- National Commission for Minorities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Women, Backward Classes, Protection of Child Rights, and Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.
- Full-Time Members:
