UGC-NET (NTA) Human Rights and Duties, FEBRUARY-2023

NGOs like PUCL (People's Union for Civil Liberties), Amnesty International (AI), and Human Rights Watch (HRW) are not legal entities under international law. On the other hand, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is unique; it enjoys a quasi-international status given its mandate under international humanitarian law and treaties.
This peculiar status ensures ICRC's neutral, impartial, and independent humanitarian mission. However, entities like PUCL, AI, and HRW, despite their global operations and impact, do not possess any formal status in international law.

The Human Rights Council and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are both human rights bodies under the United Nations. The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights globally.
Meanwhile, the OHCHR plays a crucial role in safeguarding all human rights. The Security Council deals with international peace and security, and Amnesty International, although a major player in human rights advocacy, is not a UN body but an independent NGO.

The primary function of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is to protect and support refugees.
This entails promoting the ratification of international treaties for refugee protection, coordinating global efforts to improve the welfare of refugees, and actively seeking long-term solutions to refugee situations.
However, the UNHCR doesn't exclusively assist refugees after examining their status; its primary mission is to ensure that everyone can seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state.

"UN Women" was established in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly. Its purpose is to champion gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women amalgamates various previous UN entities focusing on gender equality and women's rights, ensuring a more holistic and comprehensive approach to these topics.
While it does focus on the empowerment and betterment of women's lives, it doesn't strictly focus on sustaining livelihoods or training women in life skills as its main objectives.

The French Revolution of 1789 is a pivotal moment in world history. The "Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen" is indeed a foundational document from this period, outlining the revolution's core principles.
While the ideas of the American Revolution influenced revolutionary thought in France, the French Revolution had its unique motivations and dynamics.
The motto 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity' became emblematic of the French Revolution. However, the October Revolution refers to the 1917 Russian Revolution, not the French Revolution of 1789.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) has two optional protocols. The First Optional Protocol focuses on the individual communication mechanism, allowing individuals to present complaints about violations of their rights protected under the ICCPR.
On the other hand, the Second Optional Protocol aims at the abolition of the death penalty, providing for its total elimination.

'Special Procedures' of the Human Rights Council refer to mechanisms that address specific country situations or thematic issues worldwide. The individuals who work on these tasks can have different titles based on their specific roles. The titles include 'Special Rapporteur,' 'Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General,' and 'Independent Expert.'
These persons investigate, monitor, and provide advice and publicly report on human rights situations in specific countries or territories or on major phenomena of violations worldwide.

Magna Carta, Latin for "Great Charter," is a cornerstone in the process of establishing individual rights and limits on governmental power. Contrary to (a), Magna Carta codified the idea that even the King and his government are not above the law. Statement (b) is accurate, as the original Magna Carta comprised 63 clauses.
The document indeed aimed (c) to limit the royal authority and establish the law as an independent power. Statement (d) is incorrect as the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215, not in 1512.

The Mental Health Care Act 2017, passed in India, emphasizes the rights of persons with mental illnesses and their care. The term "Care Giver" is defined broadly.
It can include (a) someone living with a person with a mental illness and providing care, (b) anyone, whether they are compensated or not, who provides care to someone with a mental illness, and (d) potentially any relative or other individual who functions in a caregiving capacity.
Thus, the definition is quite inclusive, ensuring that those with mental illnesses get the support they need from a range of possible individuals.

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act of 2021 is an Indian legislation that regulates the practice of surrogacy in the country. Let's evaluate each option based on the provisions of the Act:
(a) Surrogate mother should be genetically related to the intended couple. This statement is correct. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 mandates that a surrogate mother to be genetically related to the intended couple.
(b) It bans Commercial Surrogacy and only allows Altruistic Surrogacy. This statement is correct. The Act bans commercial surrogacy but allows for altruistic surrogacy, where no monetary compensation, other than medical expenses and insurance, is given to the surrogate mother.
(c) Surrogate mother should be a married woman. This statement is correct. The surrogate mother should be a married woman with a child of her own. (d) Surrogate mother should be between the age of 35-40 years, with a child of her own. This statement is NOT entirely correct. The Act states that the surrogate mother should be between the ages of 25 and 35 and have a child of her own.