Opening Remarks by Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Mr. Arindam Bagchi at the Fourth Periodic Review by the Human Rights Committee under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights at Geneva, 15 July 2024. Opening Remarks by Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Mr. Arindam Bagchi at the Fourth Periodic..

Opening Remarks by Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Mr. Arindam Bagchi at the Fourth Periodic Review by the Human Rights Committee under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights at Geneva, 15 July 2024.

Opening Remarks by Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Mr. Arindam Bagchi at the Fourth Periodic Review by the Human Rights Committee under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights at Geneva, 15 July 2024.

Thank you Madam Chair

Esteemed Chair,

Members of the Human Rights Committee,

Representatives of the National Human Rights Institutions, Academia and Civil Society Organizations and all those who are joining online,

It is my privilege to welcome you all to consideration of India’s Fourth Periodic Report under the ICCPR. We have an eminent delegation from India, co-led by the Learned Attorney General for India. Mr. R.Venkataramani, and the Learned Solicitor General of India Mr. Tushar Mehta. We also have the Vice Minister in the Ministry of External Affairs , Amb Pavan Kapoor. Our delegation also includes senior officials from the Ministries of Woman and Child Development; Social Justice and Empowerment; Electronics and Information Technology; Minority Affairs; External Affairs; Tribal Affairs; and Home Affairs; and the learned Solicitor General, and my colleagues here at the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva.

Madam Chair, India firmly believes in constructive engagement with human rights treaty bodies, which have a critical role to play in the UN human rights architecture. In fact, India’s contribution to the evolution of the global human rights framework goes back to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights itself, when Indian delegate Dr Hansa Mehta, a Gandhian political activist and social worker, ensured gender equity in this foundational document with her famous insistence to change “all men are born free and equal” to “all human beings are born free and equal”. She ensured that today we speak of human rights and not men’s rights. We therefore greatly value today’s opportunity to discuss our continued commitment to ensuring human rights and in particular civil and political rights to all our people. The fact that this dialogue is taking place after a considerable amount of time makes today’s engagement even more special. Let me reiterate our intention to participate in this dialogue with this esteemed Committee with an open mind, and a keenness to listen to and understand various perspectives.

Madam Chair I will now hand over the floor to the Vice Minister Amb Pavan Kapoor to make his opening remarks.