The 2nd six-day ITEC Executive Capacity Building Programme on Human Rights for senior functionaries of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) of Global South organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, successfully concluded. The valedictory session was addressed by the NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice V Ramasubramanian in the presence of Members Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani & Secretary General, Bharat Lal. The programme, which began on Monday 3rd March, 2025, witnessed participation of 35 senior functionaries from 11 NHRIs of Madagascar, Uganda, Timor Leste, DR Congo, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Burundi and Turkmenistan. The programme included interactive sessions with eminent persons and domain experts, and participants got exposure to various aspects of civic and political rights as well as socio-economic and cultural rights enjoyed by the people of India. During the 6-day programme, speakers included NHRC Chairperson, Members, Secretary General V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog & Shri Rajeev Kumar, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Yugal Kishore Joshi, Mission Director at NITI Aayog & Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, former PR of India to UN, Chris Garroway, Economist & Development Coordinator, United Nations, Manoj Yadava, former DG(I), Surajit Dey, former Registrar (Law) and Anita Sinha and D K Nim , former Joint Secretaries of the NHRC. The programme was also enriched by the sharing of the experiences by the participating senior functionaries of various NHRIs. In his closing remarks, the NHRC Chairperson, Justice V Ramasubramanian, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all attendees. He emphasised that free exchange of knowledge are the foundation of a better world, stating that humanity has the power to create a just and harmonious society on Earth. Citing the Rig Veda, he underscored the importance of welcoming noble thoughts from all directions and reiterated that the ultimate aim of all human endeavors is to enhance the quality of life for all. He eloquently reflected on the universal essence of humanity, drawing parallels between the unity of mankind and the singularity of gold despite the multitude of jewels it forms. Concluding his address, he reminded all participants that the highest virtue is to be a good human being. Reiterating his remarks in the inaugural session, the NHRC, India Chairperson said that platforms like ITEC provide an opportunity to share and exchange each other’s rich cultural diversity and human rights values, to think and find ways on how best to address the ever-emerging human rights challenges. NHRC, India Member, Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, acknowledged the participants’ dedication to human rights advocacy and applauded their enthusiasm and commitment to meaningful change. He reaffirmed the NHRC India’s commitment to strengthen future collaborations with NHRIs worldwide. Quoting the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family), he emphasised NHRC’s vision of fostering global solidarity in protecting and promoting human rights. NHRC, India Member, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, expressed gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions, recognising their engagement and willingness to share insights. She emphasised the Commission’s commitment to continuous learning and collaboration and extended warm wishes for International Women’s Day, underlining the importance of gender equality and human rights for all. Before this, NHRC, India Secretary General, Bharat Lal commended all attendees for their active participation. He highlighted the significance of cooperation among the countries of Global South, emphasising their shared values and mutual learning opportunities. He also discussed the signing of potential Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with interested countries to deepen this collaboration. Notably, he offered the NHRC’s knowledge and experience in strengthening human rights in their countries including advanced complaint redressal system software, for robust grievance redressal mechanisms and further strengthening human rights enforcement. News source: PIB