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Enforcement of Human Rights at International and National Level*

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 Enforcement of Human Rights at
International and National Level*

V. Y. Dhupdale**

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhood.”i

Abstract:

Human Rights are essentially a product of Democracy. Man’s struggle against tyranny and
all forms of oppressions has been long and never-ending. Tyranny has, from time to time,
emerged in different forms and methods. Man has been always trying to establish his right,
time and again; sometimes there has been a depressing failure and the assault on human
rights continues. So does man’s struggle against tyranny. During this period, the actual
concept of human rights and their enforcement began taking shape in the west only after the
renaissance and the process of industrialisation. From that period onwards the recognition of
human rights took the roots in other parts of the world. However, then came the era of
colonialism where the colonial masters of Asia and Africa and Western nations gruesomely
maltreated people ruled, the history of colonialism is full of instances of massacres, ruthless
oppressions, killings and heinous crimes. But it was after the end two World Wars and the
formation of United Nations in 1945 and its various covenants that the enforcement of
human rights took up a right beginning. There is currently no international court to
administer international human rights law, however, quasi-judicial bodies exists under some
UN treaties. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over the crime of
genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. While the European Court of Human
Rights, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights enforce regional human rights law.
Although these same international bodies also hold jurisdiction over cases regarding
international humanitarian law, it is crucial to recognize that the two frameworks constitute
distinctly different legal regimes.ii The United Nations Human Rights Bodies do have some
quasi legal enforcement mechanisms. These include the Treaty Bodies attached to the current
seven active treaties, and the Human Rights Council complaints procedures.iii The
enforcement of international human rights law is the responsibility of the Nation State, and it
is the primary responsibility of the State to make human rights a reality. In practice, many
human rights are very difficult to legally enforce due to the absence of consensus on the
application of certain rights, the lack of relevant national legislation or of bodies empowered
to take legal action to enforce them.iv This paper is an attempt to discuss the various facets of
human rights, their legal, social political and economic aspects of protection and
enforcement at International as well at National levels.

Introduction:

The protection and enforcement of human rights has been guaranteed by the establishment of
the United Nations (UN) in 1945 and thereafter with the adoption of a resolution on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in December, 1948.v Although being a
resolution it does not impose legal obligations upon the member states, rather it sets a
common standard of achievement for all people and all nations so that they strive to promote
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms by teaching and educating and by
adopting progressive measures in this regard. The expression “human rights” denotes all
those rights which are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot live as human
beings.vi Human rights are the eternal part of the nature of human beings which are essential
for the development of their personality, qualities, intelligence, talent and conscience. They
are inalienable rights which are enjoyed equally by all members of the human society. This
paper is an attempt to discuss various international and national enforcement mechanisms for
the protection and enforcement of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Evolution of Human Rights:

After the end of World War II, the nations of the world came together and realised that
human rights are extremely important and that they must be enshrined in a particular
document. Accordingly, on 10/12/1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was
accepted and adopted by the United Nations. It is the basic Universal Document of human
rights today. It consists of rights such as the civil and political rights and also social and
economic rights.

The International Protection and Enforcement of Human Rights:

For the protection and enforcement of human rights and fundamental freedoms at global
level, special bodies have been established by the UN as per the International Conventions.
These bodies monitor by ensuring that the protection and enforcement of human rights and
fundamental freedoms is carried out as per the provisions of all the international conventions
and protocols relating thereto. These bodies are: (a) Human Rights Committee; (b) The
Group of Threevii; (c) The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (d) The
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; (e) The Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against women; (f) The Committee against Torture; and (g)
The Committee on the Right of the Child. These International Human Rights bodies
supervise the enforcement of the relevant International Human Rights Convention by
reviewing the information received from all reliable sources including, Reports from State
Parties, Inter-Governmental and Non-Government Organisations and the communications
alleging violation of human rights received from or on behalf of victims of such violations.
Besides, s uch procedure as of good offices and urgent actions developed to meet the
exigencies.viii In addition to these bodies, even UN Special agencies such as the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO) and the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) have developed their own system of supervision. But, it is the
overall responsibility of the Commission on Human Rights to consider the question of
violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in all parts of the world. The
Commission also undertakes actions on the situation of Human Rights in different parts of the
world by appointing the Specialised Reporteurs and establishing the Working Groups.ix

Enforcement of Civil and Political Rights:

Free human beings enjoy civil and political freedom; and freedom from fear and want can
only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his civil and political
right, as well as cultural rights.x Article 28xi provide for the establishment of a Human Rights
Committee which was duly established in 1977 to monitor the implementation of the above
covenant. The principal function of the Human Rights under this covenant is to study reports
on the measures State Parties have adopted to give effect to the rights recognized in the
covenant and the progress made in the enjoyment of those rights. xii It deals with formulating
and transmitting to the States Parties such general comments as it may consider appropriate.xiii
Similarly, it also entertains and examines inter-state communication on the subject-matter of
Human Rights violations. The Human Rights Committee is also empowered under the
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to receive and
consider communications from individuals claiming to be victims of any Human Rights
violations set forth in the covenant provided he has exhausted all available domestic
remedies.xiv

Enforcement of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights:

The Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also has established a Committee to
monitor the implementation of the provisions of the relevant International covenant in all the
State Parties. The main function of this committee is to examine the reports submitted by the
State Parties on the measures adopted by them and the progress made in achieving the rights
contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right. A five
member working will be appointed which meets to study the report in order to indentify the
points which may be discussed with the representatives of the State Parties. The Non-
Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are also authorised by the Economic and Social
Council to submit statement to contribute towards the realisation of the rights under the
present covenant.xv The Committee then prepares a summary of these considerations and
submits it to the Economic and Social Council together with its own suggestions and
recommendations of general in nature.xvi

Human Rights Protection and Enforcement Mechanism – Global Scenario:

There is currently no international court to administer international human rights law,

however, quasi-judicial bodies exists under some UN treaties. The International Criminal
Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over the crime of genocide, war crimes and crimes against
humanity. While the European Court of Human Rights, and the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights enforce regional human rights law. Although these same international bodies also hold
jurisdiction over cases regarding international humanitarian law, it is crucial to recognize that
the two frameworks constitute distinctly different legal regimes.xvii The United Nations
Human Rights Bodies do have some quasi legal enforcement mechanisms. These include the
Treaty Bodies attached to the current seven active treaties.xviii The enforcement of
international human rights law is the responsibility of the Nation State, and it is the primary
responsibility of the State to make human rights a reality. In practice, many human rights are
very difficult to legally enforce due to the absence of consensus on the application of certain
rights, the lack of relevant national legislation or of bodies empowered to take legal action to
enforce them.

Universal Jurisdiction and Human Rights Violation:

Universal jurisdiction is a controversial principle in international law whereby states claim

criminal jurisdiction over persons whose alleged crimes were committed outside the
boundaries of the prosecuting state, regardless of nationality, country of residence, or any
other relation with the prosecuting country. The state backs its claim on the grounds that the
crime committed is considered a crime against all, which any state is authorised to punish.
The concept of universal jurisdiction is therefore closely linked to the idea that certain
international norms are owed to the entire world community. In 1993 Belgium passed a law
of universal jurisdiction to give its courts jurisdiction over crimes against humanity in other
countries, and in 1998 Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London following an indictment by
Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón under the universal jurisdiction principle.xix The principle is
supported by Amnesty Internationalxx and other human rights organisations as they believe certain
crimes pose a threat to the international community as a whole and the community has a
moral duty to act, but others, including Henry Kissinger argue that "widespread agreement that
human rights violations and crimes against humanity must be prosecuted has hindered active
consideration of the proper role of international courts.

Human Rights in India:

Human Rights in Indian have been provided in the form of Part III of the Constitution of
Indian which guarantees several Fundamental rights and freedoms. xxi Human Rights are also
protected by enacting the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.xxii The fundamental rights
under Part III of the Constitution are available against state in the sense that it constitutes
restraint on the legislative and executive powers of the State. Any law, rules, regulations,
bye-laws, ordinance, etc. or any other executive action which takes away or abridges any of
the fundamental rights are invalid and can be struck down as unconstitutional by the Court of
Law. Even fundamental rights cannot be amended by the legislature if it forms a part of the
basic structure of the Constitution.xxiii The individuals are entitled to resort directly to the
Supreme Court or the High Courts for the effective and speedy enforcement of their rights.
The Supreme Court and the High Courts are empowered to issue writs xxiv and to grant
appropriate relief for the enforcement of these rights. But at the same time, the fundamental
rights guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution are not absolute. They are subject to
reasonable restrictions which can be imposed by the State in the interest of common good or
people’s welfare. Thus, fundamental rights are those principles of governmental and social
conduct which are deemed to be appropriate for judicial enforcement and those which are not
judicially enforceable have been included under the Directive Principles of State Policy
(DPSP)xxv which deals with only directions issued to the State to carry out its policies
according to the constitutional provisions.

Human Rights in India:

The Indian Parliament has enacted the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, for the
establishment and constitution of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), State
Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Human Rights Courts (HRCs). The main aim of this
Act is to provide better protection of Human Rights and for matters connected therewith or
incidental thereto.xxvi

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):

This commission has been constituted by the Central Government to exercise the powers
conferred upon, and to perform the functions assigned to it under the Protection of Human
Rights Act, 1993.xxvii The main functions of the commission is to inquire into complaints of
human rights violation or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant,
to intervene in proceeding involving any allegations of human rights violations pending
before a court with approval of such court, to visit any jail, etc. The NHRC, while making
inquiries, exercises all the powers of civil courts. After the inquiry, if the inquiry discloses the
violation of human rights, the commission may take steps such as; recommendation to the
Government concern to initiate proceedings for prosecution against the concerned person; or
it may approach the Supreme Court or High Courts concerned for such directions, orders or
writs as it may consider; it may also recommend the Government concerned to grant
immediate interim relief to victims or members of his family.

State Human Rights Commission (SHRC):

The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 also provides for the establishment of the human
rights commissions in States in India.xxviii The main function of the SHRC is to inquire into
the violation of human rights only in respect of matters relating to any of the entries
enumerated under List II and List III in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.
However, if the NHRC or any duly constitution commission under any law has already
undertaken an inquiry into the said matters, then it shall not inquiry into the same.

Annual and Special Reports of the Commissions:

The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 also requires both NHRC and SHRC to submit an
annual report to the central Government or State Government concerned respectively. xxix The
Central Government or State Government as the case may be shall lay down the said reports
before each house of parliament of the State Legislature, respectively along with a
memorandum of action taken or proposal to be taken on the recommendation of the
commission and reasons for non-accepted of the recommendations, if any.

Human Rights Courts:

The Human Rights Courts have been established under the Protection of Human Rights Act,
1993 to provide speedy Trial of offences arising out of violation of human rights.xxx The State
Government may, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court by notification,
specify for each district a Court of Session to be a Human Rights Courts to try such offences.

Protection and Enforcement of Human Rights in India and the Role of Judiciary:

The judiciary is the last resort for citizens seeking justice. The judiciary plays an important
role in protecting the constitutional rights of the people from the State actions. Today, the
Judiciary is no more concerned only with application of laws made by the legislature, but on
the contrary it has assumed an active part eve in law making process by way of judicial
activism. The Supreme Court of India has displayed a remarkable craftsmanship to promote
and protect human rights. The Apex Court has succeeded in reading some of the DPSP into
Part III of the Constitution through creative exercise with respect to the Indian
Constitution which has taken place in the context to Article 21. The Supreme Court has
extended the meaning of life and personal liberty in such a way that it has read in a number of
unremunerated right into Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

Until the decision of Maneka Gandhi’s case, the role of the judiciary was that of a passive in
nature. This nature suddenly became active in 1978 in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India.xxxi
In this case the Supreme Court held that any State action affecting life and liberty of a person
has to be right, just, fair and reasonable and not arbitrary. A new trend was set in Maneka
Gandhi case. The Supreme Court in order to protect human rights has sometimes assumed a
dual role of both Legislature as well as Executive (the other two organs of the Government),
though the Constitution does not confer such omnipotent power on the judiciary.
It was the judiciary who had to invent a new form of action to provide remedies to the
sufferers of human rights violations, such as poor, underprivileged and downtrodden section
of the society. For instance, in Bandhu Mukti Morcha v. Union of Indiaxxxii, an organization
dedicated to the cause of release of bonded labourers informed the Supreme Court through a
letter that there were a large number of labourers working in the stone-quarries situated in
Faridabad District under inhuman and intolerable conditions and many of them were bonded
labourers. The Court treated the letter as a writ petition and after the inquiry ordered the
release and rehabilitation of the bonded labourers.

Though there is no express provision in the Constitution of Indian for grant of compensation
for violation of a fundamental right to life and personal liberty. But the judiciary has evolved
a right to compensation in cases of illegal deprivation of personal liberty. In Rudal Shah v.
State of Bihar,xxxiii the Court granted compensation of Rs. 30,000 against the bias Government
for keeping a prisoner in illegal detention even after acquittal for more than 14 years thereby
violating his right to liberty. Similarly, in M. C. Mehta v. Union of India,xxxiv the Supreme
Court held that the power of the Court under Article 32(1) is not only is a substantive in
nature, that enforces the fundamental rights, but it is also remedial in scope. In M. H. Hoskot
v. State of Maharashtra,xxxv the Supreme Court did not hesitate to imply this right in Article
22(1) and 21 jointly while pressing into service application of a DPSP under Article 39-A of
Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid. The Court observed that where the prisoner is disabled
from engaging a lawyer on reasonable grounds such as indigence or incommunicado
situation, the Court shall, if the circumstances of the case, the gravity of the sentence and the
ends of justice so require, assign competent counsel for the prisoner’s defense, provided the
party does not object to that lawyer. The state shall pay such fees as the court may fix to the
counsel so assigned.

The Supreme Court also did not hesitate to assume the legislative function whenever there is
no legislation on a certain issue. Accordingly in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan,xxxvi the
Supreme Court has virtually enacted a piece of legislation on the ground that there is a
vacuum in the legislative field of sexual harassment of women at work place, by virtue of
power conferred under Article 141 of the Constitution. In this case Supreme Court laid down
some guidelines and norms which are directed to be treated as law until a suitable legislature
is enacted by the Parliament in its place.

In Hussainara Khatoon v. Home Secretary, State of Bihar,xxxvii there was a large number of
under trial prisoners in the State of Bihar which were languishing in jails without trials. A
lady filed public interest litigation (PIL)xxxviii before the Supreme Court On the inquiry it was
revealed that there were 30,000 prisoners out of which 400 prisoners lived in jails for a longer
period what the sentence would have caused them to stay inside the jail. Supreme Court held
that according to Article 21, a reasonable, fair and just procedure requires that there must be
speedy trial. It also requires that the prisoners should get legal aid. They also have right to be
released on bail if there is no grave possibility of their escape. Supreme Court ordered
immediate release of the 400 and odd prisoners from the jail. In this way Article 21 got
further expanded to include more and more human rights by Supreme Court.

Conclusion:

Indeed, human rights are very essential for the overall development of the human being not
only at national but also at international level. But these human rights should not remain on
paper. But they should be protected for the betterment of the society. In India, we have
human rights in our Constitution. Therefore, it is our duty to see that human rights become
meaningful to a large number of people in this country. The role of judiciary in the protection
of human rights is certainly commendable. However, in the quest for socio-economic justice
the judiciary is sometimes overstepping the limits of its judicial function and trespass into the
areas reserved for the legislature and the executive. However, it is also true that judicial
activism is not only necessary but also it has become inevitable in nature as the judiciary in
the guardian of our Constitution of India. Supreme Court has shown that it can go upto any
extent to protect and enforce by way of incorporating various unspecified fundamental rights
(human rights) into one of the most important article that is Article 21 of the Constitution.
i
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1.
ii
*A paper presented at the UGC Sponsored State Level Seminar on Human Rights Education. Organised by
Anekant Education Society’s Jaisingpur College, Jaisingpur, held during Sept. 3rd & 4th, 2010.
**Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.
ii. Source: The Program for Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, Brief Primer on IHL. Available at http://
en.wikipedia.org wiki / International_ humanitarian_ law# Two_ Historical_ Streams:
The_Law_of_Geneva_and_The_Law_of_The_Hague.
iii
Source: OHCHR. Human Rights Council Complaint Procedure. Available at http:// www2.ohchr.
org/english / bodies/ chr/ complaints.htm.
iv
See, REDRESS, Enforcement of Awards for Victims of Torture and Other International Crimes May, 2006.
v
Dr. Chandra U., 2007, Human Rights, Seventh Edition, Allahabad Law Agency Publications, at p.25.
vi
Teaching Human Rights, United Nations, New York, 1989, p.5.
vii
The Group of Three consists of three members appointed by the chairman of the Commission of Human
Rights from amongst the members of commission who are also representatives of State Parties to the
International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid.
viii
United Nations action in the field of Human Rights, New York and Geneva, 1994, p.303, Para 2506.
ix
Ibid, para, 2508.
x
Preamble to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, para 3.
xi
There shall be established a Human Rights Committee (hereafter referred to in the present Covenant as the
Committee)...Ibid, Article 28,
xii
Ibid, Article 4(1).
xiii
Ibid, Artcile 40(4).
xiv
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 2.
xv
Ibid, para 1312.
xvi
Ibid, para 1313.
xvii
The Program for Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, "Brief Primer on IHL". Available at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_humanitarian_law#Two_Historical_Streams:_The_Law_of_Geneva_and_Th
e_Law_of_The_Hague.
xviii
OHCHR. "Human Rights Council Complaint Procedure". Available at http : // www2.ohchr.org / english/
bodies/ chr/complaints.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
xix
Source: Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_human_rights_law#cite_note_13.
xx
Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty and AI) is an international non-governmental organisation. Its
stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights and to
demand justice for those whose rights have been violated." Available at http: // en.wikipedia.org / wiki /
Amenesty_International # cite_note-aboutai_1.
xxi
Article 14 to 35 of Part III on the Indian Constitution.
xxii
Act No. 10 of 1994.
xxiii
Keshavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, AIR 1973 SC 1461.
xxiv
Article 32 and 226 of the Constitution of India empower the Supreme Court and the High Courts to issue writs
against violations of fundamental rights respectively.
xxv
Part IV of the Indian Constitution.
xxvi
The national Human Rights Commission was initially constituted under the Human Rights Ordinance of 28th
September 1993. This ordinance was subsequently converted into an act, known as the Protection of Human Rights Act,
1993.
xxvii
Section 3 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
xxviii
Section 21 to Section 29.
xxix
Section 20(1) and (2).
xxx
Section 30 to 31.
xxxi
AIR 1978 SC 597.
xxxii
AIR 1984 SC 802.
xxxiii
AIR 1983 SC 1086.
xxxiv
AIR 1987 SC 1086.
xxxv
AIR 1978 SC 1548
xxxvi
AIR 1997 (6) SCC 241.
 xxxvii
AIR 1979 SC 1360.
xxxviii
PIL was started to protect the fundamental rights of people who are poor, ignorant or in socially/economically
disadvantaged position. It is different from ordinary litigation, in that it is not filed by one private person against another
for the enforcement of a personal right. The presence of 'public interest' is important to file a PIL.

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