BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said by fielding women in one-third of Parliamentary seats of the State and creating numerous other opportunities for women empowerment, Odisha has created a revolutionary trend which is being acknowledged across the Nation as a major step for inclusive politics and development.
The Chief Minister thanked the vigilance of women delegates for making the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) gender neutral and providing the same rights to women as is guaranteed to men.
“The critical mass of women in legislature and in other spheres of collective life is now understood as a step forward to the cause of human rights,” he said while addressing a function here on the occasion of World Human Rights Day.
He said his proposal for inclusion of non-violence in the Preamble will be a step forward in protection of human rights.
The country’s freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi was based on the principles of non-violence, he said and added that it was as much a struggle for Independence as for human rights.
Stating that human rights assume utmost importance in the present-day world scenario after adoption of the UDHR by UN General Assembly in 1948, Naveen said it is a historic landmark in the annals of humanity in breaking the barriers based on caste, colour, religion and nationalism.
Stating that transformation can take place only if individual freedom and dignity are guaranteed, the Chief Minister said, “Let us dedicate ourselves to uphold and protect human rights of all, especially of those who have become victims of structured forms of inequality and other forms of exclusion.”
Chairman of Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Justice BP Das presided over the function. Former Chief Justice of India GB Patnaik and Law Minister Pratap Jena also addressed the function. Member, OHRC, Asim Amitabh Das gave the welcome address. The Chief Minister felicitated former members of OHRC Sudhansu Mohan Patnaik, RN Bohidar, BK Mishra and BK Patnaik on the occasion.