SHRG areas of work

SHRG's Human Rights projects fall into Regional Work, Thematic Work, Transnationals and Human Rights, Internal Conflicts, Minorities, Diversity, Sikhs and "Other".

REGIONAL WORK

SHRG began to develop its human rights expertise and policy by collating human rights abuses in the Punjab. It relied on evidence from the Indian courts and analysed Indian constitution, legislative measures and government policies. The Group has considerable evidence and was able to present this to various human rights agencies. The Group has refrained from taking any political position in the dispute but promotes, freedom of expression, fundamental human rights and the prospect of peaceful resolution of the dispute. It extols all sides of the dispute to observe fundamental human rights and engage in political processes for resolution.

SHRG has also taken on human rights abuses in the United Kingdom particularly concerning issues of discrimination, police abuse of power and related matters. Further the Group has documented general human rights abuses concerning the Kurds particularly in Turkey, the Aborigines in Australia and the East Timorese.

THEMATIC WORK

SHRG has started a project on the study of 12 minorities across the world. The project intends to look at State practices in relation to minorities and International conventions as well as the work of the Working Group on Minorities. SHRG hopes to bring out a proposal for best practices for States based on its project.

The Project has the approval of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is hoped that the project will end in 4 years.

TRANSNATIONALS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

SHRG has taken the view that Transnationals remain unaccountable for their global policies and human rights abuses in vulnerable nations and against vulnerable people. It proposed a project which has also received approval by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This project will look at the type of human rights abuses by Transnationals, the existing measures to limit them and prospective measures that can be taken at the international and national levels to deal with such abuses. The SHRG feels that abuses can be reduced with the co-operation of Transnationals and a code of conduct which it hopes will be proposed through this project.

INTERNAL CONFLICTS

SHRG is beginning to take on a project on International mechanisms for Internal conflict resolution. SHRG feels that most disputes within States reach a level of violence and protracted state of conflict due to misunderstandings, undue fears and lack of mediatory mechanisms. Many conflicts can be resolved by discreet mediation between parties without embarrassing any party to the conflict. SHRG feels that the UN and some other international bodies have the expertise and the facility to enable peaceful resolution of disputes while being sensitive to the sovereignties of States.

The project will examine current mechanisms and the prospect of developing new mechanisms that will take cognisance of the increasing number of internal conflicts around the world.

MINORITIES

The relationship of Minorities is a crucial indicator of the human rights approach of a country and a people. SHRG has taken on a four year project to study the issue of a selected number of Minorities around the world, the legislative rights and protections they enjoy, the relationship to the majority community, representation within the legislative and administrative system of the country and the access as well representation at the international level. The study covers almost all the continents.

DIVERSITY

SHRG has taken the view that racism and anti-racism have both developed within the colonial paradigms. It feels that the future of a pluralistic world depends on recognising the diversity of human life and feels that the world needs to refocus its comprehension of a anti-discrimination through the concepts of diversity.

SHRG has started working on developing principles and concepts that will focus on the theme of diversity in the future.

SIKHS

SHRG has also developed an expertise on issues affecting the Sikhs around the world, These include issues of discriminatory practices against Sikhs, the problems faced by Sikhs in enjoying their religious and cultural practices as well as human rights issues affecting Sikhs. The group is also involved in promoting humanitarian aspects of Sikh philosophy, the general promotion of Sikh religious and cultural issues in the fields of education, administrative policy, law and related areas. The Group feels that the large number of Sikh members and its accessibility to Sikh institutions as well as issues gives it the ability to develop this expertise. SHRG is not a religious dissemination organisation.

OTHER INTERESTS

AFFORDABLE MEDICAL TREATMENTS. Shrg has joined in the recent controversy surrounding large Drug companies and their stranglehold on medical treatments. SHRG has taken the position that in epidemic level diseases, alternative supplies and treatments should be freely available. It further feels that a comprehensive policy needs to be developed to enable developing nations and their people to enjoy medical treatments without incurring unaffordable prices.

ECONOMIC IMBALANCES. SHRG supports the movement for removing economic imbalances that have deepened poverty, hunger and disease in many developing countries.

VICTIMS OF TORTURE REHABILITATION. SHRG has started a small project on rehabilitation of victims of torture. This project concentrates on children and deal with psychological as well as educational development.

ORCHESTRATED RIOTS. The project is looking at the widespread practice of orchestrated riots in several parts of the world and a need to document these at the international level.

HUMANITARIAN RELIEF WORK. SHRG is also involved with relief work on poverty. It has a small team of volunteers that distribute free food and supplies to special centres within the United Kingdom.