National Human Rights Commission: set up under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993

Background

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India was established on 12 October, 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019.
Section 2(1)(d) of the PHR Act defines human rights as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.
The NHRC is in conformity with the Paris Principles, adopted at the first International workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights held in Paris in October 1991.
Under Section 3, the Commission has a Chairperson who has been a Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the Supreme Court; one Member who is, or has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court; one Member who is, or has been, the Chief Justice of a High Court; and three Members, at least one of whom shall be a woman, with knowledge of or practical experience in matters relating to human rights.
The Chairpersons of the National Commissions for Backward Classes, Minorities, Protection of Child Rights, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women, and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, are deemed Members for the functions in clauses (b) to (j) of Section 12.
A Secretary-General is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.