Asia Pacific Forum Conf of NHRI: Seeking consensus on Human Rights & International Issues

New Delhi: On the first day of the biennial conference of National Human Rights Institutions of the Asia Pacific at Vigyan Bhawan, President Droupadi Murmu urged all not to treat the human rights issue in isolation and sought "equal attention" to nursing the natural environment, lamenting that mother nature has been "deeply wounded" by human indiscretions.

Addressing the gathering President said the love for nature should be rekindled to conserve and enrich it "before it is too late".

Murmu said, "We have ensured a minimum of 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies' election... In a more pleasant coincidence, a proposal to provide a similar reservation for women in state assemblies and national Parliament is taking shape now. It will be the most transformative revolution in our times for gender justice." Her remarks came a day after the government introduced a bill to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The lower House on Wednesday passed the bill with near unanimity.

In this two-day conference organised the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) at Vigyan Bhawan, Murmu said that India and other Asia-Pacific nations were civilisational protectors of human rights who could play a role in attaining a consensus on international issues.

Among other speakers were NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Mishra, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institution (GANHRI) secretary Amina Bouayach and Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions Chairperson Mr Doo-Hwan Song.

In the keynote address, Mishra spoke of the need for NHRIs of the Asia-Pacific to formulate a joint strategy to solve challenges in areas of climate change, child trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and other crimes in cyberspace, the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence, among others. He also spoke about the concentration of global wealth in a few hands.