Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
The Commission on the Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) established
the Barangay Human Rights Action Center Program (BHRAC) to give the
ordinary citizens the central role in the implementation of human rights
promotion and protection services at the grassroots and to bring the services
of the CHRP closer to the people, especially in those areas not strategically
within the reach of its central, regional and sub-regional offices.
Each BHRAC is overseen by the Barangay Human Rights Action Officer, who must not be an
elective/appointive official of the government and must not engage in partisan political activities.
The Centers have four functions:
• complaints processing
• coordination and referral of complaints that do not constitute human rights violations
• mobilization
• information and education.
More than 14,000 Centers have been established throughout the Philippines.p232
CASE STUDIES
National Human Rights Commission of India
The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) has established eight
core groups of experts that focus on specific human rights areas.361
They include:
• Core Group of NGOs
• Core Advisory Group on Bonded Labour
• Core Advisory Group on Health
• Core Group on Disability
• Core Group on Mental Health
• Core Group on the Protection and Welfare of Elderly Persons
• Core Group on the Right to Food
• Core Group on Lawyers.
Each group has a written constitution and is generally made up of NGO
directors, academics, government officials and representatives of the private
sector. Each group provides the NHRC with advice and opinion in its specific
area of expertise. Some groups have a wider remit. For example, the terms of
reference of the Core Group on the Right to Food are:
i) To advise the Commission on issues relating to right to food in the
context of India. These issues may include both references made by the
Commission to the Core Group and any other issues, which the members of
the Core Group consider it appropriate to suggest to the Commission in the
light of the relevant provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
ii) To review existing government policies, laws/rules/orders etc. and other
material from human rights perspective and make an assessment of
current status of enforcement of the right to food in different States/UTs
in India.
iii) To identify voids and gaps in the policy framework relating to right to food
and suggest measures to fill the same.
iv) To suggest plan of action for enforcement of right to food in different
States/Union Territories.
v) To examine best practices of institutions in India and abroad dealing with
the right to food and recommend their replication in other areas.
vi) Any other issue which is considered relevant to the subject by the Group.362
The groups are self-governing and meet regularly, as and when they deem
necessary.