KARACHI: Sindh Commission of Human Rights Fund are seeking approval of a proposition which will enable the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to extend its protection to a greater number of citizens. Also under discussion are amendments in the Sindh Protection of Human Rights Act, 2011.
The commission was established in 2013 as a statutory body with powers of mandate to protect fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
SHRC chairperson Justice Majida Rizvi (retired) said that during the last three years, the commission has continuously worked towards protecting citizens’ rights across Sindh. It had also worked closely with government departments, non-governmental organisations and civil society to host several workshops on the rights of vulnerable groups such as women and children. The commission now requires a budgetary allocation and additional trained staff.
The annual report serves the purpose of transparency as the commission wishes to share its work with the public. In 2014, the SHRC dealt with 82 cases of human rights violations, including suo motu cases. In 2015, the number rose to 125. Also included in the report are details of visits to jails, hospitals and shelter homes in Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana and Dadu in 2015.
Suo motu – meaning “on its own motion” eg, it is used where a government agency acts on its own cognizance, as in “the Commission took suo motu control over the matter.”
Be the first to comment