President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday inaugurated the two-day conference of National Human Rights Institutions of the Asia Pacific Region at the Plenary Hall of Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The President said on the occasion that the subject of human rights has always been very close to her heart.
She applauded the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions for organising the event and said that such conferences should be held on a regular basis for the betterment of all.
Expressing her happiness over the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, she said it was the right step in the right direction, which would pave the way for the empowerment of women.
The inaugural session of the National Human Rights Institutions of the Asia Pacific region conference kickstarted at 11:00 am with the Annual General Meeting (AGM), 2023.
At 12:30, a seminar was held by NHRC, India on ‘Business and Human Rights’. The seminar was divided into two thematic sessions – ‘Harmonising climate change, human rights and business,’ and ‘Advancing human rights in business and industry.’
A Biennial Conference will be held tomorrow as part of the event, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) and 30 years of National Human Rights Institutions and the Paris Principles, with a sub-theme on the environment and climate change.
The event is expected to serve as a platform for meaningful discussions, knowledge sharing and the development of strategies to ensure that businesses prioritise human rights and environmental sustainability in their operations.
Keynote speakers and panellists include prominent figures from the human rights paraphernalia, senior government functionaries, environmental, and corporate experts and regulators with diverse perspectives and insights.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage in interactive sessions and network with like-minded individuals and organisations committed to advancing the cause of human rights in business. All sessions of the conference will be streamed live through webcast.