Series of programmes to mark UDHR
Chaminda PERERA
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the Disaster
Management and Human Rights Ministry have organised a number of
programmes in coincidence with the 60th anniversary of Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 25th anniversary of
Convention Against Torture (CAT) which fall today.
The HRCSL and the Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry have
organised two separate programmes aimed at educating public servants on
the Human Rights to coincide these events.
According to Human Rights Commission's Education and Information
Director Shirani Rajapaksa, the commission has focussed on the stress
management of Government officials specially in the Prisons Department
during the Human Rights Week which began on December 03. "There was a
conviction among the Government servants that Human Rights have become
major impediment in the discharge of their duties. The Commission is
striving to flush that conviction out of their minds by organising
various awareness programme", Rajapakse said.
She said the Commission is conducting an awareness programme for
Prisons officers who are always at the receiving end of allegations of
Human Right violations. The Commission earlier laid emphasis on how
vulnerable segments of society such as Prison inmates could be educated
on the importance of Human Rights.
"It is the Commission's duty to educate those who are subjected to
Human Rights violations and those who are alleged to have perpetrated
Human Rights violations alike. Meanwhile Disaster Management and Human
Rights Ministry Secretary Prof Rajiv Wijesinghe said they have organised
a competition to mark the International Human Rights Day at district
secretariat level. According to Prof Wijesinghe, the Ministry has called
for proposals for development projects aimed at ensuring health and
educational development in the respective divisions and the best
projects selected by the panel of eminent persons is to be funded by the
Ministry.
Prof Wijesinghe said international donor agencies and UN agencies
such as WHO have promised to extend their assistance toward these
projects.
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