New Delhi: India underscored its commitment to a rights-based, inclusive and people-centric development model at the 64th session of the UN Commission for Social Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Addressing the Ministerial Forum, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur highlighted India’s efforts to translate the outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development from Copenhagen to Doha into concrete national action aimed at achieving the 2030 Agenda and advancing social progress beyond.
Recalling that the Copenhagen Declaration placed people at the heart of development and that the Doha Political Declaration reaffirmed this commitment amid emerging global challenges, the Minister noted that India’s governance philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” reflects a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to ensure dignity, equity, and opportunity for all.
Highlighting India’s large-scale social protection and inclusion measures, Smt. Savitri Thakur shared that over 800 million people are covered under food security programmes.
She also highlighted that more than 550 million citizens access free healthcare through an extensive network of health and wellness centres and affordable medicines and medical devices are provided through 16,000 Jan Arogya Kendras
“Over 1.45 million elected women representatives serve in local governance, reflecting India’s commitment to grassroots democracy. Flagship initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana are strengthening education and financial security for girls. Labour reforms promote equal pay, safe workplaces, and women’s workforce participation,” the minister said in her speech.
Thakur highlighted that large-scale collateral-free loans have enabled millions of women, entrepreneurs, and street vendors to enter the formal economy. “Targeted schemes such as SMILE are supporting the rehabilitation and inclusion of transgender persons and other vulnerable groups,” she added further.
Thakur emphasized that India’s development journey integrates digital public infrastructure, direct benefit transfers, and citizen participation, ensuring transparency and last-mile delivery.
Reaffirming India’s civilizational ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) the Minister expressed India’s readiness to strengthen global partnerships and share its development experience to advance social justice worldwide.
The session witnessed active participation of majority of UN Member states. Following the session, the Minister also held a courtesy meeting with H.E. Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister for Social Services, Government of Sweden.
