NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Chapter - 10 10.1 In pursuance of Section 12 (i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Commission since its inception has been encouraging the efforts of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and institutions working in the field of human rights. The Commission in association with credible NGOs and institutions has undertaken many projects including human rights awareness programmes. The Commission is of the firm opinion that the promotion and protection of human rights cannot gain momentum without the fullest cooperation between the Commission, NGOs and other related institutions. They are the Commission’s most important allies and most honest critics. This has proven to be of considerable value both to the Commission and to the NGOs, reinforcing their understanding of each other and their capacity to work together in the furtherance of human rights across the country. Together with the Special Rapporteurs appointed by the Commission, the NGOs have provided a “multiplier effect” to the efforts of the Commission, giving to it a vast infusion of high ability and public support. 10.2 From the point of view of facilitating its interaction with the NGOs, the Commission constituted a Core Group of NGOs in July 2001. This Core Group was reconstituted in October 2006 and new members were later added again in November 2006, August 2008 and September 2008. The members of the Core Group are leading representatives of credible NGOs. 10.3 During the period under review, a meeting of the Core Group was convened in the Commission in July 2008 to review the action taken on the minutes of the meeting of the Core Group of NGOs held in September 2007. In the meeting, the members of the Core Group deliberated at length on the agenda items of the 13th Asia Pacific Forum (APF) Meeting that took place at Kuala Lumpur from 28 to 31 July 2008, the report to be presented by the NHRC in the aforementioned APF meeting, activities to be undertaken for the observance of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and strategies for better cooperation between the NGOs and NHRC-India. 10.4 As per deliberations held in the meeting, it continued to work closely with NGOs in respect of specific issues identified during the course of discussions held between the members of the Core Group on NGOs and the Commission. Moreover, it continued to receive complaints relating to serious violations of human rights from NGOs, who acted as the eyes and ears of the Commission in the remotest corners of the country. It provided financial assistance to a number 117