VI. PRWOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS LITERACY AND AWARENESS 8.1 Section 12(h) of the Statute requires the Commission "to spread human right8 literacy among variwr sections of society and promote awareof the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications, the media, seminars and other a v a i l a k means". i 8.2 The fulfillment of this responsibility poses formidable problems in as ours where, according to the 1891 census some 328.9 million ware according to the latest estimates of the Planning Commission, some 61 or 305 million w p l e lived b l o w the povsrly line. The numbers of both are now substantially higher. To merely hold seminars for such of our compatriots, would be to mock their cirwmrtams. For them, the way to best protect their rights is, above all, through good and honest governance, responsive to their needs the provision of food, sheltur, clothing, education and reasonable standards of health: from these would Row a life of dignrty and a capacity to b t t e r understand and assert their other rights. At the other end of the spectrum, to hold reminars for the comparatively privileged is also not enough. More is requid, for the relatively powerful must, above all, learn to exercise their powera with restraint and to respect the rights of those who are weaker. - This being said, the Commission has accordingly sought to follow a strategy of many ports in its effort to meet its responsibilities under this provision of the Act. Given M o w is an account of some of its endeavours. 6.3 MOBlLlOlNG THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 6.4 Desptte the shortcomings of the existingeducational system in the country - the most obvious of which is the lack of free and compulsory education upto the age of 14 yearn, a grievous shortcoming that must soon be rdrwrssd any effort to spread human riyhts literacy must, of necessity, win with the educational system itself. The Cornmimion has, accordingly worked intensively with the Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Devalopment, the National Council of Educational, Research and Training (NCERT) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in n----s p c t of the manner in which human rights issues could be introduced into the schooling system. - ._ . 6.5 In consequsncg of these efforts, text books were reviewed for their contents, and a Source Book was prepared for teachen by the NCERT. That Source Book has, -- 1I