The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in New Delhi, in partnership with the Government of India’s Central Secretariat Library, organized a one-day workshop on promoting human rights: "Need for an Information Resources Network" on 3 November 2009, in the UN Conference Hall in New Delhi.
 
At the inaugural session, UNIC Director Shalini Dewan welcomed the participating 35 librarians and information officers from ministries, government departments, universities, NGOs and UN depository libraries.  She also spoke on the concept of human rights learning and how library networking can be used to promote human rights awareness.
 
Chief Guest Soli J. Sorabjee, former Attorney-General of India, focused on the important role of every individual in ensuring that achievement of human rights becomes a global reality. 
 
The Director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Mridula Mukherjee provided a historical perspective of the practice and implementation of human rights in India and the relevant information resources.

The two working sessions, led by experts in the field covered the significance of human rights documentation, best practices followed in India and how library information resources network could be used for further facilitating and sharing knowledge with the user communities and how librarians could empower citizens by creating information tools through content management.

Addressing the gathering, the representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Population Fund spoke, respectively, on the right to food, the human rights of refugees and gender sensitive information networks.

Each session was followed by a lively discussion and a question and answer session. The workshop helped participants gain a better understanding of the diverse perspectives of human rights and came up with recommendations on the role librarians could play to make human rights information accessible to all. 

To mark the International Day of Families, 15 May 2009, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in New Delhi organized a half-day seminar entitled "Mothers and Families: Challenges in a Changing World", the designated theme for this year’s observance. The seminar was organized in collaboration with the non-governmental organization (NGO) Development, Welfare & Research Foundation (DWARF) and Delhi Safdarjung Rotary Club.

Researchers, planners, community workers, members of civil society, the international community, and governmental and non-governmental organizations shared their views and practices for recognizing and supporting mothers’ roles and for their inclusion in development policies and programmes. UNIC Director Shalini Dewan addressed the gathering and also read the UN Secretary-General’s message for the Day.

To mark the first World Day of Social Justice, 20 February 2009, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in New Delhi, in collaboration with the West Bengal Correctional Services, organized a series of events in Kolkata with prisoners and prison authorities.

The highlight of the Day’s observances was a dance drama, Valmiki Pratibha, which traced the journey of Ratnakar from a dreaded bandit to a holy sage. The ballet was performed by 50-60 prisoners – both men and women currently lodged in Kolkata jails - who were granted special permission to venture out of the prison walls to the prestigious Rabindra Sadan theatre where they performed to a packed audience. The spectacular show by the prisoners was the outcome of a unique “culture therapy” programme offered to inmates across the state of West Bengal which aims to bring about the psychological rehabilitation of prisoners and enhance their feeling of self-worth through art, dance, music and theatre. UNIC Director Shalini Dewan was a guest of honour at the performance.

On 10 December 2008 to mark Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Director of the UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan, accompanied by Punjab government officials, led a candle-light procession of over 2,000 people at Wagah on the India-Pakistan border. Participating in the peace march, organized by the All India Human Rights Association (AIHRA), were representatives of human rights organizations from across India as well as from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.