Ram Nath Kovind Warns of Emerging Human Rights Challenges Amid Climate Change and Technological Advances
Former President stresses protecting vulnerable communities, prison reforms, and mental health as India navigates rapid technological and environmental changes
New Delhi, Oct 16: Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday highlighted that rapid technological advancements and climate change are giving rise to new human rights challenges, particularly for informal sector workers and individuals facing climate-induced displacement.
“Economic progress must always walk hand in hand with human dignity,” Kovind said, adding, “Climate change is no longer only an environmental concern it is becoming a human rights imperative.” He was speaking at the 32nd Foundation Day of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Conference on Human Rights of Prison Inmates.
Kovind emphasized that India’s development should be measured not merely in economic terms but also in how it safeguards the dignity and well-being of its most vulnerable citizens. He noted that the country has established a strong constitutional and institutional framework for protecting human rights, but true progress depends on compassion and inclusion.
“Human rights are not merely statutory entitlements but expressions of a deeper moral and civilizational consciousness,” Kovind said, underlining that India’s cultural heritage rooted in dharma, karuna (compassion), and nyaya (justice) continues to guide its approach to human dignity.
Praising the NHRC for giving a “voice to the voiceless” over the last three decades, he lauded its work on custodial justice, bonded labour, trafficking, and the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities. On prison reforms, he said, “Any form of violence or inhuman treatment to persons in custody is against our constitutional and moral values.” He urged authorities to build gender-sensitive, child-friendly facilities and to treat prisons as spaces for “reform, rehabilitation, and hope.”
Kovind also stressed the importance of mental health as a human right, urging the end of stigma around psychological illness. “Emotional and psychological well-being is as important as physical well-being,” he said, applauding NHRC advisories promoting community-based mental health care.
NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian highlighted that the Commission has handled approximately 24 lakh cases since 1993, providing Rs 263 crore in monetary relief across 8,924 cases. Last year alone, it registered 73,849 complaints, took suo motu cognizance of 108 matters, and disposed of 38,063 cases. Ramasubramanian emphasized NHRC’s work on Dalit rights, tribal welfare, mental health, and custodial deaths, and noted growing engagement with human rights institutions across the Global South.
NHRC Secretary General Bharat Lal underlined the Commission’s commitment to accessible justice through digital initiatives such as HRCNet, enabling citizens to file complaints in 22 Indian languages and track them online. He emphasized that prisons should function as institutions for rehabilitation and reformation, and highlighted ongoing efforts to address manual scavenging, beggary, and hazardous work, while promoting empathy and accountability among police and correctional officials.
Reflecting on India’s recent unopposed re-election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-28 term, Lal said it underscored the country’s “unwavering commitment to human rights” and growing voice on the global stage.
“Human rights cannot rest on institutions alone. It is the shared moral duty of government, civil society, and every citizen to ensure that no one is left behind and that every person lives with dignity and without fear,” he concluded.
