ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together at institutes of higher education in Pakistan for the promotion of human rights.
The Chairman NCHR Justice (retd) Ali Nawaz Chowhan and the Chairman HEC Professor Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed signed the MoU in a graceful ceremony organized on Thursday at HEC in Islamabad.
The ceremony was attended by Dr. Arshad Ali as Executive Director and Dr. Raza Chohan, Director General Academics HEC along with other senior members of staff.
The NCHR delegation included Member Balochistan Fazila Aliani and Secretary Sikandar Aqeel Ansari and other concerned staff.
The Chairman HEC welcomed the initiative for the MoU by Chairman NCHR asserting human rights education was essential to create a just society.
He said the fundamental doctrine, concepts and principles of human rights were universal in value and HEC fully agree to spread awareness for the promotion and protection of human rights at Institutions of Higher Education across the country.
Addressing the ceremony Chairman NCHR Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan said human rights were held sacred in our religion and are in line with our own traditions.
He quoted the Hole Quran and references from Islamic history to illustrate that the noble values must permeate down to everyone in our society.
He said Human Rights Education was his personal priority besides being a key component in the freshly launched strategic plan of the NCHR.
The MoU creates a framework of cooperation between the NCHR and the HEC to create awareness, promote research and studies in the field of human rights at higher education institutions (HEIs).
Both institutions shall work together to equip academia, researchers, professionals and students with knowledge and understanding of the fundamental doctrines, principles and compliance of international human rights law and to impart trainings to develop the intellectual, practical and transferable skills necessary for that purpose.
The MoU aims to spread human rights literacy and to promote awareness of the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications, print and electronic media, seminars and other available means in all major languages of the country.
The two parties shall make efforts to introduce, strengthen or expand courses, and programmes of studies in human rights at HEIs particularly on rights of marginalized groups including women, children and minorities.
Both institutions also agreed to undertake and promote research in the field of human rights in developing the human rights culture and to work for the establishment of human rights study centers at HEIs to undertake research and study treaties.
