>Title: Made a reference to the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
11.00 hrs
MR. SPEAKER: On this day, fifty years ago, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. India, as a Member State of the United Nations made significant contributions to the establishment of the International Bill on human rights. This Bill consists of the Declaration and the two International Covenants, one on economic, social and cultural rights and the other on civil and political rights and their optional protocols.
True to our role in the United Nations and our tradition of respecting the rights of the individual since Vedic and Epic periods, we have provided for protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in our Constitution. Further we have diligently tried to bring our practices in conformity with our commitments in this regard with the international community and in the Constitution. In the process we have enacted appropriate laws, created institutional mechanisms and taken affirmative actions.
Considering that we have a pluralistic society of diverse religions, communities and vast masses of vulnerable people living below poverty line, we shall continue, with eternal vigilance, our efforts at respecting and actually protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, we shall give special attention to protecting these rights and freedoms of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Communities, minorities, women, children and persons with disabilities through democratic, constitutional, legal developmental and educational processes, involving the legislative, executive and judicial arms of governance at the national and State levels as well as the civil society.
