Permanent Mission of India to the UN Office
Source : PIB
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Approach “Permanent Mission of India to the UN Office” : Mains and Prelims

1. About the News
2. Information About 
   • Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council
   • About Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Office
   • Special Rapporteur

Why in News ?

Recently Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva has responded the concerns raised by Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council regarding India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Key Facts

• Concerns by Special Rapporteur India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
  • The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
  • The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
  • The right to privacy
• Permanent Mission of India Reply
  • Undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry association and organisations and invited public comments to prepare the draft Rules.

    

  • An inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received in detail and, accordingly, the Rules were finalised.
  • Right to freedom of speech and expression in India
    • Guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
    • The independent judiciary
    • Robust media are part of India’s democratic structure.

Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council

• The special procedures of the Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts
• It has the mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
• They are non-paid and elected for 3-year mandates that can be reconducted for another three years.
• With the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) special procedures
  • Undertake country visits
  • Act on individual cases of reported violations and concerns of a broader nature by sending communications to States and others
  • Conduct annual thematic studies, seek information from calls for input and convene expert consultations
  • Contribute to the development of international human rights standards
  • Engage in advocacy, raise public awareness, and provide advice for technical cooperation.

About Special Rapporteur

• Human rights defenders (HRDs) are all persons, who individually or in association with others, act to promote or protect human rights peacefully.
• Functions 
  • Promote the effective implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in cooperation and dialogue with Governments and other actors
  • Study developments and challenges on the right to promote and protect human rights and seek, receive and respond to information on the situation of human rights defenders
  • Recommend effective strategies to better protect human rights defenders
  • Integrate a gender perspective and pay particular attention to women human rights defenders.

Daily Current Affairs : Click Here