NEW DELHI, Sept 20, 2023 (BSS) - President of India Droupadi Murmu today underlined the need for evolving an international consensus through consultation with human rights institutions and stakeholders to ensure human rights across the world.

More than the codified law, it is a moral obligation of the international community to ensure human rights in every sense of the term, she said while inaugurating the 28th Annual General Meeting and Biennial Conference of the Asia-Pacific Forum of Human Rights here. 

Nearly 100 foreign delegates from Asia-Pacific region including Bangladesh attended the conference being held in person after a gap of three years due to Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chairman National Human Rights Commission is leading a three-member Bangladesh delegation to the conference with NHRC Chairperson (India) Justice Arun Mishra in the chair. 

The other two members of the commission included Member Md. Selim Reza and Deputy Director of the organization Md. Azhar Hossain. 

The Indian President urged all not to treat the issue of human rights in isolation and pay equal attention to nursing Mother Nature which is deeply wounded by the indiscretions of human beings as they are as good a creator as a destroyer.

She added that according to scientific studies, this planet has entered the phase of sixth extinction where man-made destruction, if not stopped, will be the undoing of not only the human race but also the other lives on the earth. 

She expressed confidence that the conference would come out with a comprehensive declaration that would pave the way for betterment of humanity and the planet. She said India is ready to learn from the best practices in other parts of the world to improve human rights which is an ongoing project. 

The Asia Pacific Forum for Human Rights comprises 26 nations of the region and most of the nations that formed this grouping are historically and culturally inter-connected. Many of them share heritage and values that combine to make this region distinctly different from the rest of the world. 

These member nations have coordinated with one another to improve the living conditions of human beings. Since 1996, when this Forum was formed, the group of countries has travelled reasonably far together to achieve its objective.