United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
UPSC asks about the structure, functions, and effectiveness of international organizations, particularly the UN and its role in human rights protection and international accountability (GS2).
The United Nations employs various mechanisms to promote and protect human rights globally, including treaty-based bodies (monitoring compliance with international human rights treaties) and charter-based bodies (like the Human Rights Council and its special procedures, including Commissions of Inquiry). These mechanisms investigate alleged violations, report findings, and make recommendations to states and the international community.
Facts & tables
- Human Rights Council (HRC)
- An inter-governmental body within the UN system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.
- Commissions of Inquiry (COIs)
- Ad-hoc investigative bodies established by the HRC or other UN organs to investigate grave violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in specific situations.
- Treaty Bodies
- Committees of independent experts that monitor the implementation of the core international human rights treaties (e.g., Committee on the Rights of the Child).
- Special Procedures
- Independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | United Nations |
| Conceptual area | Human Rights |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel | Investigates and reports on human rights violations |
| United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) | Establishes and oversees cois |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Institutional roles and functions
- UN uses treaty-based and charter-based mechanisms.
- HRC is key inter-governmental body.
- Commissions of Inquiry investigate grave violations.
- Treaty bodies monitor specific treaty compliance.
- Special Procedures are independent experts.
Treaty = agreement between states; body = institution.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2024 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2022 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
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United Nations
Conceptual area
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Human Rights
Conceptual area
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Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2022
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
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Israel targeted Gaza children resulting in genocide, UN inquiry says
UN human rights mechanisms, including the HRC, Commissions of Inquiry, treaty bodies, and special procedures, monitor, investigate, and report on human rights violations globally, aiming for accountability and protection.
See also
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Past papers
2016–2024 · 8 questions
In the news
Israel targeted Gaza children resulting in genocide, UN inquiry says
UN human rights mechanisms, including the HRC, Commissions of Inquiry, treaty bodies, and special procedures, monitor, investigate, and report on human rights violations globally, aiming for accountability and protection.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements:
1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization.
2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government
of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The India Sanitation Coalition was launched on June 25, 2015, at FICCI, New Delhi. ISC is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together the private sector, government, financial institutions, civil society groups, media, donors/bilateral/multilateral, experts, etc., to work in the sanitation space to drive sustainable sanitation through a partnership model. It is not funded by WHO. Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is India’s premier urban think tank, shaping the urban narrative since its establishment in 1976, it not an apex body. It is an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act.
Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. The river basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the State through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on a rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is correct. National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is the financing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Statement 2 is correct. The mission of the organisation is to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July 2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.
Other members include the cabinet ministers of ministries that include the Ganges among their direct concerns and the chief ministers of states through which the Ganges River flows.
Consider the following organizations/bodies in India:
1. The National Commission for Backward Classes
2. The National Human Rights Commission
3. The National Law Commission
4. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
How many of the above are constitutional bodies?
* The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC): This body is a constitutional body. It was given constitutional status by the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, which inserted Article 338B into the Indian Constitution. * The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. * The National Law Commission: This body is not a constitutional body. It is an executive body established by an executive order of the Government of India. * The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body set up under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 (replaced by the Consumer Protection Act 2019).
The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971. Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises which of the following members?
1. Governor of the Constituent State
2. Chief Minister of the Constituent State
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India
4. The Home Minister of India
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established under the *North Eastern Council Act, 1971* to ensure the balanced and coordinated development of the North Eastern Region. After the North Eastern Council (Amendment) Act, 2002, the structure and composition of the Council were modified. As per Section 3(1) of the *NEC Act, 1971 (as amended)*, the Council shall consist of the following members: 1. The Chief Ministers of the Constituent States
2. The Governors of the Constituent States
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India These are the only members of the Council as defined by the Act. Further, Section 3(2) specifies that:
“The Union Home Minister shall be the ex officio Chairman of the Council, and the Minister of the Central Government in charge of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) shall be the ex officio Vice-Chairman of the Council.” Thus, while the Union Home Minister serves as the ex officio Chairman, he does not form part of the Council as a member under Section 3(1). Similarly, the Minister of DoNER is the ex officio Vice-Chairman, but not a member of the Council.
With reference to the "Tea Board" in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Tea Board is a statutory body.
2. It is a regulatory body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
3. The Tea Board's Head Office is situated in Bengaluru.
4. The Board has overseas offices at Dubai and Moscow.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: The Tea Board of India is a statutory body created under the Tea Act, 1953 and it was established to regulate the Indian tea industry and protect the interests of tea producers in India. Statement 2 is incorrect: It is functioning as a statutory body of the Central Government under the Ministry of Commerce. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Tea Board of India's Head Office is situated in Kolkata. Statement 4 is correct: The Tea Board of India has overseas offices in Moscow, Dubai, Hamburg, London, and New York.
Show 3 more PYQs
With reference to India, consider the following statements:
1. Government law officers and legal firms are recognised as advocates, but corporate lawyers and patent attorneys are excluded from recognition as advocates.
2. Bar Councils have the power to lay down the rules relating to legal education and recognition of law colleges.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. Corporate Lawyers, as well as patent attorneys, are too recognized as advocate and there's no prohibition on their recognition as advocates. Statement 2 is correct. The Bar Council of India visits and inspects Universities/Law colleges in the country as part of its statutory function of promoting legal education and laying down standards in consultation with the Universities in India and the State Bar Councils. The Bar Council of India is a statutory body established under section 4 of the Advocates Act 1961 that regulates the legal practice and legal education in India.
In India, what is the role of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO)?
1. CCO is the major source of Coal Statistics in Government of India.
2. It monitors progress of development of Captive Coal/Lignite blocks.
3. It hears any objection ' to the Government's notification relating to acquisition of coal-bearing areas.
4. It ensures that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Coal, having its headquarters at Kolkata and field offices at Dhanbad, Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Kothagudem and Asansol. It collects and maintains coal production data of all private and public sector coal mines in the country. The information is collected every month. Statement 1 is correct. Under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 Coal Controller has been made the statistical authority concerning coal and lignite statistics. Entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out the Annual Coal & Lignite survey and publishing of Provisional Coal Statistics and Coal Directory of India. Statement 2 is correct. It is entrusted with the task of monitoring captive mines. Work such as permission for the opening and reopening of coal mines has been entrusted to the CCO. Statement 3 is correct. Under the Coal Bearing Area (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957- the Coal Controller is the competent authority under this act to hear any objection to the Central Government's Notification relating to the acquisition of coal-bearing land and to furnish his reports to the Central Govt. Statement 4 is incorrect. Ensuring that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time is not the function of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO).
How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?
* Delimitation commissions have been set up four times in the past — 1953, 1962, 1972 and 2002 — under Delimitation Commission Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002. * The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. The Delimitation Commission in India is a high-power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called into question before any court. * The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot effect any modifications in the orders. * Composition: Retired Supreme Court Judge, Chief Election Commissioner and respective state election commissioners.