By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Governor RS Mooshahary on Friday termed women, senior citizens and children as most vulnerable to human rights violations said that education was the only mechanism to protect them.
Addressing an international conference on human rights on the theme ‘Human Rights a global challenge’ organised at the Lady Keane College here, the Governor stated that there is a need for special arrangement to protect the rights of women, senior citizens and children.
He was also of the opinion that without education, legislations to promote and protect human rights will not make much of an impact.
Stressing the need for inculcation of moral and spiritual values, the Governor said, “The type of education which is needed to be imparted to people is how to ‘unlearn evils’,” adding “education should also create conditions for human rights to flourish.” “Poverty, illiteracy and superstition are often known to be the enemies of human rights,” the Governor said, while adding that superstition has contributed a lot to violation of human rights.
Terming the Right To Information (RTI) Act as an emerging right, Mooshahary said, “This is a new concept to ensure that governance is accountable, transparent and responsible towards delivering rights to the people.”
Speaking on the misuse of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in certain areas in the Northeastern region, the Governor acknowledged that the power given to the forces under certain condition has been misused and abused at times.