worked closely with the Natioml Commissions for Minorities, for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and for Women, all of whose Chairpersons are deemed to be Members of this Commission. But it is evident that much remains to be done to redeem the pledge made at lndependance to those covered by the work of these Comrnissians. This has required, in the past years, that the National Human Rights Commission ibeH give enhanced attention to such groups in its progtammes and efforts, the details of which follow in other sections of this report. 2.32 With each succeeding year, the Commission has grown stronger in its conviction that all human rights, whether civil and political, economic, social or cultlral, must be viewed, as the 1893 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action did, as 'universal, indivisible, inte~detpendentand Inter-related". In earlier paasages of Ihis report, comments have been made en the nature of our democracy and the vigour with which civil and political rights have been exercised. Can the same be said for the exercise of economic and smial rights? The pledge, in this resped, is less than adequately fulfilled. 2.13 Fifty years after Independence, South Asia -with lndia as its largest country by far - has emerged as the m d deprived region of the world. ,With 22% of humanity located in this region, and deapite its vast and talented human potential, South Asia accounts for a mere 6% of global real income. Further, 46% of the world's total illiterate population - twice as high as its share of the world's population reside in this region, which is also home to 50% of the world's undernourished children. These shocking facts, recounted in the eminent economist Mahbub-ul-Haq's report "Human Development in South Asia 1997" cannot but raise the most wrious questions regarding the state of human rights in our region. - 2.14 As far as lndia itself is concerned, the facts are particularly poignant. *Based on data contained in the 1991 Census Report, 328.9 million Indians were illiterate. Indeed, a report issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in January 1997 estimates that 63 million children in the age group of 6-14 years are at presmt not attending schoot. As for hedth, 235 million people had yet to gain access to primary health care, while 226 million were without safe drinking water and 640 million wme without basic sanitation facilities; 88% of all pregnant women aged between ? 5 and 49 suffered from anaemia. As regards food and nutrition, there were 62 million malnourished children under the age of 5 years. In respect of children, nearty on0 third of those under the age of 16 were engaged in child labour - many in hazardous industries. In