|
Access
to Information
Right to Information
Freedom of Information lies at the root of the rights discourse.
Failure of the State to provide access to information or State suppression
of information can lead to the most egregious forms of human rights
violations. The Right to Information (RTI) is fundamental to the
realisation of rights as well as effective democracy, which requires
informed participation by all. CHRI educates the public about the
value of RTI and advocates at policy level for guaranteed access
to information.
India
Right to Information Act 2005
Constitutionalism
CHRI believes that the process of law making must be participatory
and informed by community needs. This participation is particularly
important when constitutions are being revised and CHRI has therefore
developed guiding principles on participatory constitution making.
CHRI also disseminates information and creates public awareness
of constitutional principles, especially those that protect human
rights, accountability and participation.
Election Watch
Access
to Justice
Police
Reforms
Police reform is urgently needed in many Commonwealth countries.
Governments are resistant to reform, although this is vital to ensure
access to justice and an effective criminal justice system. The
colonial legacy and slow reforms mean that police often act as oppressive
instruments in the hands of the rulers, rather than as protectors
committed to the rule of law. CHRI works in India and East Africa
to catalyse reform and ensure accountability within a modernized
police organisation.
Prison
Reforms
Being closed institutions, prisons are not open to public scrutiny
and hence are largely unaccountable. CHRI is actively trying to
reinvigorate a relatively independent system of prison visitors
mandated to scrutinise prison conditions and protect prisoners from
torture and ill treatment.
Fact
Finding Missions
CHRI's fact finding missions advocate greater adherence to the Harare
principles. They highlight violations of human rights in specific
Commonwealth countries and contribute to repairing the situation
and restoring peace, the rule of law and human rights. Fact finding
mission can also study countries seeking entry into the Commonwealth.
In
collaboration with INTERIGHTS, CHRI holds Judicial Colloquia and
Exchanges for judges in South Asia on issues related to access to
justice, particularly as this pertains to the most vulnerable groups.
The first Colloquium under the series was held in New Delhi in 2002
and the series continued until 2005.
|
