Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act-UNHCHR Appeal

Why in NEWS ?

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Michelle Bachelet appealed to the Government of India to review the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and its compliance with international human rights norms.

ABOUT FCRA

• The Foreign Contribution (regulation) Act, 2010 is an act of the Parliament of India, by the 42nd Act of 2010.
• It is a consolidating act whose scope is to regulate the acceptance and utilization of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals or associations or companies and to prohibit acceptance and utilization of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality for any activities detrimental to the national interest and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. It is designed to correct shortfalls in the predecessor act of 1976.
• The Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020. The bill sought several changes in the existing Act. It sought to make it mandatory for office bearers of any NGO to provide their Aadhaar numbers.

ABOUT UNHCHR

• The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, commonly known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the UN Human Rights Office, is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nations that works to promote and protect the human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
• The office is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who co-ordinates human rights activities throughout the UN System and acts as the secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The mandate of OHCHR derives from Articles 1, 13 and 55 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, by which the Assembly established the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

CONCLUSION

• Many people opine that constructive criticism is the lifeblood of democracy. Even if the authorities find it uncomfortable, it should never be criminalized or outlawed.
• India is matured democracy and vigilantism is requirement of the time which New Delhi reviews from time to time in consonance with international regime and character.