Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Right to Health
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rights, the issue of female foeticide and infanticide was indirectly touched upon again when
the Commission organized a Colloquium on this subject in January 2003 and in the
Declaration adopted therein emphasized the fact that ‘in a situation where the status of
women is low and son preference is prevalent, coercive measures further undermine the
status of women and result in harmful practices such as female foeticide and infanticide.’
Thereafter, the former Chairperson wrote to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
as well as to the Chief Ministers/Administrators of all States/Union Territories to comply
with the recommendations and the Declaration that was adopted in the Colloquium. In the
said letter written in the month of January 2003, the former Chairperson firmly requested all
concerned to take effective measures to prevent female foeticide and infanticide.
7.29 During 2004-2005, the year under report, the issue of female foeticide and infanticide
was again taken up during the course of the Regional and National Public Hearings on Right to
Health Care was organized by the Commission in collaboration with Jan Swasthya Abhiyan at
Bhopal, Chennai, Lucknow, Ranchi, Gwalior and New Delhi.
7.30 The Commission notes with concern that despite its recommendations made from time to
time, the practice of female foeticide and infanticide continues unabatedly. This undoubtedly
has resulted in sharp decline – nation wide – in the sex ratio of the child population in the age
group 0-6 years. That ratio fell from 945 in 1991 to 927 in 2001. It was particularly disturbing to
note that the sharpest decline was in the comparatively affluent States of Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttaranchal, Maharashtra and the Union Territories of Delhi
and Chandigarh. The Commission once again reiterates that vigorous and comprehensive
measures be taken by all States and Union Territories to put an end to the problem of female
foeticide and infanticide.
F] Quality Assurance in Mental Health (NIMHANS Report)
7.31 With a view to preparing a plan of action for improving conditions in mental hospitals
in the country and enhancing awareness of the rights of those with mental disabilities, the
Commission entrusted a research project on “Quality assurance in Mental Health” to the
National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) at Bangalore. Dr. S.M.
Channabasavanna, Professor Emeritus completed the project under the overall supervision of
Justice V.S. Malimath, former Member of NHRC and handed over the report to the Commission
in June, 1999.
7.32 On the direction of the Commission, copies of the report were sent to all the mental
hospitals in the country and also to the State Health Secretaries for necessary following up
action. The States/Mental Hospitals were requested on 20-06-2001 to intimate the action taken
in this regard. The response received from the Mental Hospitals as also from the States/Union
Territories was very poor and hence, it was decided that the NIMHANS be requested to
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