New Delhi, Oct. 14 (PTI): Olympic medallists Mary Kom and Vijay Kumar on Sunday participated in a walk in Delhi organised by the NHRC as curtains came down on the three-day silver jubilee celebrations of the human rights watchdog.
The event was flagged off by the boxer-shooter duo and chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Justice H L Dattu from the Nehru Park in central Delhi.
“Scores of people, including women and children, participated in the walk organised to build awareness on human rights and seek people’s commitment to promote and protect them. Mary Kom and Vijay Kumar also took part in the walk,” a senior official said.
The silver jubilee celebrations had kicked off Friday with the Foundation Day function at the Vigyan Bhawan here where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a gathering had said the government was committed to improve the lives of people by ensuring their rights.
A commemorative first day postal cover and stamp were released on the occasion, and a new version of the commission’s website was also launched.
“The prime minister had also said that the NHRC should use social media effectively. We have all the resources to use it, but due to manpower constraints, it has not been able to take off.
“Besides, we are using the alternative media like theatre and exhibition to widen our outreach to people,” the official said.
He said that besides promoting human rights, the NHRC is positioning itself more proactively to prevent incidents of human rights violations.
“So, through street plays, poster-making, slogan-writing contests, we seek to engage with various stakeholders and people in general, so that violation don’t happen. Just taking cognisance and keeping a record of violations is not enough,” the official said
On Saturday, the NHRC hosted a ‘Human Rights Mela and Street Theatre Festival at the amphitheatre arena of Central Park, Connaught Place.
The official said seven selected groups performed street plays on different aspects of human rights and the first prize of Rs 1 lakh went to the Street Play Society of Janki Devi Mahila College, Delhi University, for their play -’Maila Kuchaila’.
It highlighted the challenges of manual scavengers and the need to protect their rights to life, dignity and equality, he said.
The second prize went to Rudraksh Kala Mandal for their play- ‘Apna Adhikar Pechano’,- highlighting how to deal with domestic violence and the third prize was given to Jazba Theatre group’s play ‘Bhookh’ that highlighted the challenges related to protection of right to food and how the people can themselves better ensure it by avoiding wastage of food, the official said.
Hundreds of people watched the street plays and visited the Mela, which provided an evening of fun, entertainment, education and information with a focus on motivating people to stand up for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Delhi Police teams, at the event, also presented the performances of their pipe band, women self-defence techniques and a skit to show how to approach Delhi Police control room in the hour of distress, he said.
