• Amend 97 Laws providing for discrimination of leprosy affected persons in a time bound manner to end discrimination of such persons. • Ensure confidentiality of medical and other records of persons affected by leprosy and associated complications Safeguarding the criminal justice system It has been a major priority of the NHRC, ever since it was established, to curb custodial violence. Towards this objective, the NHRC had issued guidelines in December, 1993 stating that in the event of any death occurring in Jail or police custody, information has to be sent to the NHRC within 24 hours. Any report of encountered death and extra-judicial killings has to be sent to the NHRC within 48 hours. Information on custodial deaths was to be followed by a post-mortem report, a videography report on the post-mortem examination, an inquest report, a magisterial enquiry report, a chemical analysis report etc. Upon inquiry of the custodial or encounter death, if it is established that death in custody is due to use of force, medical negligence, homicidal or suicidal, other than natural, or excess use of force during encounter, beyond permissible limits of self defence, the Commission recommends compensation payable to the next of kin of deceased, by the state based on the ‘doctrine of vicarious liability’ and the case is not closed until proof of payment is furnished by the authority. Upon the directions of the Commission, Human Rights Cells have been constituted in all the states to coordinate with the commission. Vulnerable Groups • Women & children: The NHRC is concerned with the following issues in respect of children and women: Abolition of child labour, preventing and combating child abuse, amendment of service rules to avert child employment by a public servant, preventing and combating all forms of trafficking including women and children, rehabilitation of marginalized and destitute women, missing persons/children/ women, preventing and combating of sexual harassment of women at the workplace, monitoring of juvenile homes in India, speedy disposal of rape cases, ensure access to education, food and nutrition, preventive and remedial measures against domestic violence, female feticide, formulation of guidelines for the media reporting on sexual violence against children/women, ensuring gender equality and initiate steps to introduce gender quota in Indian delegation at International Forums, protecting children from sexual abuse through social media platform. The Commission held a National Conference on Child Sexual abuse Material (CSAM) and liabilities of intermediary OTTs. The Commission suggested that the intermediaries and OTT players must deploy technology to proactively block and detect child sexual abuse material and cooperate with law enforcement agencies in their investigations. 20 | HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL www.nhrc.nic.in, covdnhrc@nic.in, @India_NHRC