India Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive, Rights-Based Social Development at UN Social Development Commission
Leading the Indian delegation, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur delivered India’s national statement on the theme “Advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable and inclusive policies.”
New York: India reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and rights-based social development at the 64th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, according to an official release on Tuesday.
Leading the Indian delegation, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur delivered India’s national statement on the theme “Advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable and inclusive policies.” She underscored that India’s approach to social protection and justice is rooted in constitutional guarantees and aligned with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Highlighting the guiding principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, the minister said India follows a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to ensure that no one is left behind.
Key national initiatives highlighted
Savitri Thakur outlined several large-scale initiatives that demonstrate India’s focus on inclusion, scale and last-mile delivery. These include achieving near parity in girls’ and boys’ participation in education, supported by improved school infrastructure and residential schooling facilities in remote and aspirational regions.
She highlighted the expansion of basic services such as piped drinking water, clean cooking energy and sanitation, which have had a transformative impact on women and vulnerable communities. The minister also pointed to the scale of financial inclusion achieved through hundreds of millions of bank accounts, with women emerging as key beneficiaries of entrepreneurship and credit-linked schemes.
India’s nationwide protection mechanisms for women and children, including dedicated helplines and integrated service centres, were highlighted alongside maternal, child health and nutrition programmes reaching over 100 million beneficiaries. The minister also drew attention to expanded social security coverage for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, unorganised workers and transgender persons.
Role of digital public infrastructure
India emphasised the role of digital public infrastructure and Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) in improving transparency, efficiency and accountability in public service delivery, ensuring targeted support reaches intended beneficiaries without leakages.
Noting that global social challenges require collective solutions, India expressed strong support for enhanced multilateral cooperation, capacity building and South-South collaboration to accelerate progress on inclusive social development models worldwide.
Global participation
The session was presided over by Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN. Senior UN leaders, including Deputy Secretary-General Amina J Mohammed, President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, ECOSOC president and Nepal’s permanent representative Ambassador Lokbahadur Thapa, ASG (Policy Coordination) DESA Bjorg Sandkjaer, and NGO Committee chair Gillian D’Souza-Nazareth, addressed the gathering.
The 64th session of the Commission for Social Development saw participation from over 100 UN member states, reflecting strong global engagement on advancing social justice and inclusive development.
