NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION · Core Group on Disability and Elderly Persons · Core Group on NGOs and Human Rights Defenders · Core Group on Right to Food · Constitution of NHRC Core group on Business, Environment and Human Rights · Core Advisory Group on Bonded Labour · Core Group on Women · Core Group on Children · Core Group on LGBTQ 5.11 Meetings of the Core and Expert Groups are called by the NHRC periodically at regular intervals or as and when deemed necessary, in the Commission. The details of some of the Core and Expert Group meetings held in the Commission during the period under report are given in subsequent chapters of the Annual Report where these issues have been taken up. Meeting of Core Group of NGOs and Human Rights Defenders 5.12 In pursuance of Section 12(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, the Commission, right from its inception, has been encouraging the efforts of non-governmental organizations and institutions working in the field of human rights. The Commission associates and partners with reputed NGOs in various programmes, projects initiated by it in the area of human rights awareness. As awareness of human rights is an important factor in the better protection of human rights, there is greater scope of increasing the interaction with NGOs. 5.13 In order to facilitate its interaction with the NGOs and civil society organizations, the Commission constituted a Core Group of NGOs on 17.07.2001. The Group was last reconstituted on 16.09.2011 with 11 members. The matter regarding reconstitution of the Core Group of NGOs is again under consideration of the Commission for giving wide representation of credible NGOs from diverse fields of human rights across the country. Annual Report 2017-2018 77