NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, INDIA State Human Rights Commissions 2.51 The National Human Rights Commission was constituted in 1993, in accordance with the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993. In Section 21 (PHRA), provides for constitution of the State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) in all the States. The existence and functioning of a Human Rights Commission in the States will go a long way in the protection of human rights in the remote areas of the country. The Commission has been urging the State Governments, where no State Commission has been constituted, to initiate action to constitute a State Human Rights Commission to fulfill its responsibilities to the people in accordance with the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 and the ‘Paris Principles’. 2.52 The Commission organised a Secretary level meeting of the Secretaries / senior officers of 26 State SHRCs and Senior Officers of NHRC in New Delhi on 7 December, 2018. The objective of this conference was to share the experiences and explore human rights issues of mutual interest. Issues like upgradation of complaint management system, measures to raise human rights awareness at the grass root level, SOP on investigation methods and role of social media in protection of human rights were discussed at length during the brain storming sessions. Activies at International level 2.53 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) that comply with the principles relating to the status of national institutions, commonly known as the Paris Principles, are playing a crucial role in promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level. Through the Universal Periodic Review, treaty monitoring bodies, and other international human rights mechanisms, every State is being encouraged to establish an effective, independent NHRI that complies with the Paris Principles as well as strengthen it where already existing. NHRIs encourage cooperation with a range of actors, among which the United Nations and, in particular, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) besides the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) are of significance. 2.54 During the period under review, the National Human Rights Commission of India, which is a member of the GANHRI and a founder member of the APF participated in a number of meetings, seminars, workshops and interaction with foreign delegates in the Commission. Annual Meetings of Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) 2.55 NHRC India was a member of the GANHRI Bureau in the year 2003 and from 2007 to 2011. The NHRC India Delegation led by Chairperson Justice Shri H. L. Dattu, accompanied by the Secretary General and Joint Secretary attended the 29th Annual Conference of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) on promotion and protection of human rights at Geneva from 21.03.2016 to 23.03.2016. In the General Meeting was elected India as a Bureau Member of GANHRI from Asia Pacific Region (APF). Thus, after a gap of four years, NHRC India has again become a member of the GANHRI Bureau with the election of Justice Shri H. L. Dattu, 24 ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19