Speak out!

Selection of NHRC Special Rapporteur on Disability

To: "sushmaswaraj@hotmail.com sushmaswaraj" <sushmaswaraj@hotmail.com>, sushma.swaraj@bjp.org, ajaitley@sansad.nic.in, ajaitley@del5.vsnl.net.in, "speakerloksabha@sansad.nic.in speakerloksabha" <speakerloksabha@sansad.nic.in>, pj.kurian@sansad.nic.in

Dear Members of the NHRC Selection Panel,

It has been over 15 months since the post of special rapporteur on Disability has been lying vacant.

I do not know if you have been tasked with finding Mr. Pincha's replacement. Even if this is not directly under your purview, please do use your good offices to put an end to this needless delay.

My enquiry with NHRC has drawn a blank, as with civil society members of various NHRC Core Groups.

As you can see below in the table below and the attached files, this delay is only resulting in our collective ignorance of countless crimes being perpetrated against disabled Indians who are very often invisible and voiceless.. 

I urge you to expedite this and remain hopeful of the courtesy of a response,

Vaishnavi Jayakumar

15 Months of Abuse of  Vulnerable People By Their Protectors

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)

Date: Sat, Apr 13, 2013 at 10:09 AM

Subject: India's Special Rapporteur on Disability

To: jrlawnhrc <jrlawnhrc@nic.in>, hrd-nhrc <hrd-nhrc@nic.in>, chairnhrc@nic.in, covdnhrc <covdnhrc@nic.in>

Cc: nfbindiawelfare@gmail.com, ian_cardozo <ian_cardozo@yahoo.com>, "drgnkarna@gmail com" <drgnkarna@gmail.com>, umatuli@yahoo.com, Javed Abidi <javed_abidi@ncpedp.org>, suhaschakma@achrweb.org, lenin@pvchr.asia,ashokmathews@sichrem.org, puja.marwaha@crymail.org, "ruth.manorama" <ruth.manorama@gmail.com>, abhaya2007@rediffmail.com, rita.sarin@thp.org, national.director@soscvindia.org, baghambar.patanaik@gmail.com,pauldivakar@ncdhr.org.in, ccpd <ccpd@nic.in>, "prasannapincha@gmail com" <prasannapincha@gmail.com>, kailashsatyarthi@globalmarch.org

Dear Mr. Parashar,

You may recall my meeting you on 25th February 2013 at the Delhi conference held by HRLN & Equal Rights Trust. I had mentioned to you then, the critical need to fill the post of Special Rapporteur on Disability which has been vacant for more than 15 months now since Mr. P.K. Pincha assumed charge as Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in December 2011. 

As a large number of people with disabilities are trapped in situations of dependence; - whether in institutional, familial or homeless settings - their vulnerability with respect to hidden and unreported abuse is exponentially greater than that of the general population.

Even within the specific subset of vulnerable groups, people with disabilities face the brunt - 13 out of 21 cases of at-risk populations from the attached data compilation '15 Months of Abuse of  Vulnerable People By Their Protectors' involve people with disabilities.

I urge the National Human Rights Commission, members of the core group on disability (and NGOs) to act with haste in re-appointing a Special Rapporteur for Disability with a nuanced understanding of the discrimination and abuse faced by India's disabled citizens.

Sincerely,

Vaishnavi Jayakumar