Recensione.

Fonte: The Hindu, Tuesday, Mar 19, 2002

Book Review: Issue of human rights

HUMAN RIGHTS 2001: B.R.P. Bhaskar - Editor; Vigil India Movement, 61, Charles Campbell Road, Cox Town, Bangalore-560005. Rs. 300.

THIS COLLECTION of articles on the issue of human rights provides a deep insight into the various aspects in connection with the topic. Written by eminent stalwarts in the field, they shed light on the reality that stares us straight in the face. The articles, extensively supported by facts and figures, cover varied topics such as civil and political rights, social and economic rights, women's rights, children's rights and minority rights.
The questions raised here are based on the fact that "no one can deny the spectacular progress India has made in economic growth and social development... yet, how come we are not able to deliver social justice to a section of our people despite all the directives and enabling provisions in the Constitution?"
Written in lucid style, these articles provide some clarity at arriving at answers to such questions.
The article "Right to life" covers the issues surrounding environment. Women's right is seen mainly as violation of their rights at home and at the workplace. Here there is necessity for policy-makers to adopt more flexibility in negotiations for change as a yawning gap persists between laws and practice.
The inherent weaknesses in the National Human Rights Commission are laid threadbare in the article by Ravi Nair. He says "the commission has failed to address the recommendations made by several reports despite their value and urgency. It needs to adopt stiffer measures for assuring compliance with its directives."
In focusing on globalisation it is opined that any realistic discussion of human rights must keep close to ground realities worldwide.
The have-nots everywhere are losing their right to life. Here it is said, "human rights are not commodities encaged but locomotives of change. Globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation have no future, driven as they are by Big Business which does trade in hunger and poverty."
This calls for a massive militant force for transformation, on a global level. The all-pervasive indifference and callousness has to change.
No longer can the international human rights movement focus only on education and orientation of people to seek justice through rights.
It is imperative to mount international and national pressure on the state to keep its promises and deliver justice. The Human Rights Diary that forms Part II of the volume presents a compilation of rights related reports that appeared in various newspapers and periodicals during 2000.
After covering nation-wide reports in a general section, this section provides a state-wise report of happenings pertaining to individual states of India presented in alphabetical order. This sequencing makes it a quick-reference storehouse of valuable data that development workers can use in their study as well as education materials. The volume is of immense value to professionals working with people at all levels, policy-makers and project planners, as well as grassroots level workers struggling at the bottom-most rung of the monumental task of transforming attitudes and behaviour to make this world a better place for all those who inhabit it.

GEORGINA PETER