Annual Report 2013-14 as well as complaints, its other key priorities and achievements. 1.7 In a society as diverse as ours, the indivisibility and interrelated nature of human rights – be it civil, political, economic, social or cultural – is self-evident. This aspect is well recognized in the Constitution of India. In reality, the situation is different as widespread discrimination still persists against the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities. This is equally true of women, children and other vulnerable groups. These deviations are grave dangers not only for the victims but for the country as a whole as discrimination engenders serious inequality and undermines the overall freedom and prosperity of a nation. The problems and concerns of each of these groups were given due attention by the Commission during the period under review. 1. 8 The report that follows, inter alia, deals with civil and political rights, in particular, custodial violence and torture, including deaths in custody, illegal detention, high-handedness of police, deaths in police firing and encounters, and conditions in prisons. The report then deals with economic and social rights, such as rights relating to health, food, education, rights of people belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities as well as other vulnerable groups, including women, children, disabled and elderly persons; human rights education, training and awareness; the role of State Human Rights Commissions, nongovernmental organizations and human rights defenders in supporting the endeavours of NHRC, India. The important cases of human rights violation under each category of rights dealt by the Commission are also covered in this Report. In addition, the report focuses on NHRC, India’s co-operation at international level with Human Rights Council, Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions and International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions. (K. G. Balakrishnan) Chairperson (Cyriac Joseph) Member 7th May, 2015 New Delhi 2 | NHRC (D. Murugesan) Member (S. C. Sinha) Member