EXPERIENCE OF THE WORKING OF THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. 1993 2.4 Implicit in the Statement of Object and Reasons therefore were the following ideas: First, while the Constitution 'substantially protects' the range of human rights covered by the two international human rights covenants mentioned in the Act, there was need for the 'better protection' of these rights through the creation of additional instrumentalities that would be complementary to those that already existed. These new instrumentalities were to be the National Human Rights Commission, State Human Rights Commissions and, at the district level, Human Rights Courts. Second, the Statement clearly implied that a new era had begun, both within the country and internationally, in which issues pertaining to human rights were of 'growing concern'. In other words the days were over when the walls of 'national sovereignty' or the 'domestic jurisdiction of a State' could be used to protect those responsible for the violation of human rights from the 'growing concern' and scrutiny of those interested in the protection of such rights, whether they were within the country or abroad. Likewise, with the adoption of the Act, it became impossible to argue with any measure of credibility that, because certain forms of human rights abuse or violations had long-persisted in the country — whether for societal, behavioural or any other reason — these should continue to be acquiesced in or tolerated in the future. Third, while the Act defined 'human rights' as the rights to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution and embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by Courts inIndia, the fact of the matter was that the Act was passed soon after the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights and that Conference had, in its unanimously adopted Declaration and Programme of Action, 'strongly recommended that a concerted effort be made to encourage and facilitate the ratification of and accession or succession to international human rights treaties and protocols adopted within the framework of the United Nations system with the aim of universal acceptance.' There are now some seventy international instruments that have been adopted under the auspices of the United Nations, covering a range of subjects relating to human rights and 'matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.' Further, these instruments include some sixteen Conventions/Covenants to which India is a State Party and six of those instruments have themselves established treaty bodies expressly to oversee their proper observance and implementation. Fourth, the Statement of Objects and Reasons also made clear that there was need for greater 'accoimtability' and 'transparency' in the administration of laws and ANNUAL REPORT 2001-2002