A/HRC/WG.6/1/IND/4 page 5 16. The inclusion of India’s scheduled tribes in the rubric of “indigenous people” is often posed in multilateral forums. India stated that at independence, after the departure of the colonizers, all its people, including its tribal people, were considered as indigenous to India. This position has been clarified on various occasions, including while extending India’s support to the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly. 17. India noted that it is conscious of the need to empower the disadvantaged. Education has been a priority programme. This was an essential building block for development. Elementary education has been declared to be a fundamental right. For the last seven years, India has implemented a novel and comprehensive educational programme known as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All). The goal was to achieve 100 per cent coverage in primary schools. India has implemented a Mid-day Meal Scheme which feeds more than 120 million children every day. Most importantly, India was now among the few countries to have a nationwide employment guarantee act. The right to work was being significantly realized with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. It provided a legal entitlement that only a handful of countries offer their citizens. It should not only provide employment but also check distress migration and most importantly, create productive assets for the community. More than 30 million rural families already had a “job card”. 18. Major institutional mechanisms have been set up to make human rights secure and enforceable. Under the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, a powerful and independent National Human Rights Commission has been working with an exemplary record for over a decade. Another revolutionary change has been the enactment of the Right to Information Act. This enabled citizens to seek and demand the right to information about the governmental officials and decision making which has led to transparency, accountability and openness in the governmental process. 19. Regarding terrorism, India stated that during the last more than two decades, terrorism has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children in its country. The international community should recognize that terrorism is a direct violation of human rights, in particular the most basic rights, the right to life and liberty. While India’s commitment to protecting its citizens was of paramount importance it will achieve this in conformity with a commitment to human rights. 20. India has actively participated in deliberations on human rights in international forums for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. India played a leading role in the historical struggle for decolonization and abolition of apartheid. India was among the very few selected countries who were members of the former Commission of Human Rights throughout the 60 years of its existence. 21. The Indian delegation noted that in order to further strengthen the protection of human rights in India, the Parliament passed the Protection of Human Rights Act in 1993 to establish a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The State Human Rights Commissions have been set up in 18 states. The independence of the NHRC is expected to be the same as that of the Supreme Court of India. The NHRC of India was one of the most Paris Principles compliant national institutions in the world. Though the Commission was a recommendatory body, the reports of the commission are placed in the Parliament with the action taken report by the Government. In case the Government