National Human Rights Commission chair Justice HL Dattu to be Asia-Pacific member on ICC bureau

NEW DELHI: The chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Justice HL Dattu, has emerged as the unanimous choice for appointment as a Member of the International Coordinating Committee of NHRIs (ICC) Bureau in Geneva.

"No other NHRI from the Asia-Pacific region nominated a candidate against him to fill the position of a Member vacated by the representative of NHRI of South Korea. NHRC, India, will now be representing Asia-Pacific Region along with Mongolia, Qatar and Australia," said an NHRC statement.

Dattu with his vast experience and legal expertise is expected to contribute richly to the approach of the ICC on human rights issues being faced by the international community.

His presence on the Bureau will not only help strengthen the ICC but also enhance the role of NHRIs in the United Nations mechanisms. He will also be working towards the creation of new NHRIs in the countries which have not set up such bodies.

The ICC Bureau is an important human rights body that serves as the Management Committee of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC). The ICC Bureau implements all the decisions of the ICC General Meetings and directs the operations of the ICC between these meetings.

The ICC Bureau consists of sixteen 'A' status NHRIs, four from each region, namely, Americas, Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. NHRC, India, has been an active Member of the ICC and regularly taking part in its activities, including Annual General Meetings.