Human Rights Handbook

In recent years, there has been enhanced awareness of humanrights in the country following the orders of the Supreme Court andactivities of the National Human Rights Commission, State HumanRights Commissions, nongovernmental organisations, human rightsactivists, United Nations and its specialised institutions. Therehave also been exciting developments both at the national andinternational level, be it at the legislative front or where institutionalmechanisms on human rights are concerned. For instance, theInternational Criminal Court has started working since 2002 and anew international convention on rights of persons with disabilitiesand disappearances have been adopted. The new and improvedHuman Rights Council has been established and is now more thanone year old. At the domestic level too, there have been interestingdevelopments which include, among others, the Right to InformationAct, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, legislations whichtackle domestic violence against women and enable the setting upof commissions for the protection of the rights of children. Moreover,human rights courses have been introduced by over 35 Universities.Human Rights Handbook carries an analysis of jurisprudence,carefully selected materials, and systematically arranged topics, withan emphasis on international and domestic standards on civil andpolitical rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights andrelevant case law; rights of vulnerable sections; contemporary issuessuch as terrorism, right to environment and right to development;newer trends in international human rights law; ratifi cation andreporting history of India as well as reservations and declarationsentered by India to various Human Rights Conventions. To assiststudents and researchers who are keen on further learning, a selectbibliography and a list of useful websites have also been given. Inaddition to students of law, international relations and politicalscience, it will also prove useful to lawyers, human rights activists,teachers and all others interested in this field