A 10-year-old child was awarded $25,000 by the High Court of Fiji after the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission (HRADC) successfully instituted proceedings over a complaint of arbitrary detention in a Police station.
And in another matter, a complainant was paid $40,000 in an out of court settlement initiated by the Commission for being arbitrarily detained.
Attorney-General Siromi Turaga revealed about the two cases while opening the Pacific Regional Forum on National Human Rights Institution today.
He said the Commission has also appeared as amicus curiae in other cases to uphold human rights principles, ensuring appropriate redress or remedies are afforded to the victims of human rights violations.”
Turaga added that since its inception in 1999, the Commission has received and investigated complaints of alleged human rights violations and have also instituted legal proceedings in the High Court.
The Attorney-General also highlighted that the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) are independent State bodies with a constitutional and/or legislative mandate to protect and promote the fundamental rights of all people in their countries.
He said that it monitors and reports on the domestic human rights situation and assist their State to meet its international human rights obligations. NHRIs also provide advice so that international human rights standards are properly implemented at the national level.
“It is in recognition of this pivotal role of NHRIs that Fiji’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission was established.”
“The Commission is mandated under the section 45 of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji to ensure the human rights of all persons in Fiji are protected and promoted, and the public is educated about the nature and content of human rights.”
