Date: 2026-02-04Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
India highlights Rights-Based, Inclusive and People-Centric development approach at the 64th session of the UN Commission for social development being held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA
**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Women and Child Development reports that India highlighted its rights-based, inclusive, and people-centric development approach at the 64th session of the UN Commission for Social Development held in New York. Minister of State, Smt. Savitri Thakur, addressed the Ministerial Forum, emphasizing social justice as central to India's national vision. This was posted on 04 FEB 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **India's Development Approach:**
* India emphasized its rights-based, inclusive, and people-centric development approach.
* India's governance philosophy, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” aims to ensure dignity, equity, and opportunity for all.
* India is ready to strengthen global partnerships and share its development experience.
* **Social Protection and Inclusion Measures:**
* Over 800 million people are covered under food security programs.
* More than 550 million citizens have access to free healthcare.
* Affordable medicines and medical devices are provided through 16,000 Jan Arogya Kendras.
* Over 1.45 million elected women representatives serve in local governance.
* Initiatives like 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.
* Large-scale collateral-free loans are enabling millions of women, entrepreneurs, and street vendors to enter the formal economy.
* Schemes such as SMILE support the rehabilitation and inclusion of transgender persons and other vulnerable groups.
* **Development Journey:**
* India's development journey integrates digital public infrastructure, direct benefit transfers, and citizen participation.
* This ensures transparency and last-mile delivery.
**Impact Analysis**
**UN Member States**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of India's development approach and social protection measures. Opportunity to strengthen global partnerships with India.
* **Action Required:** Active participation in the session, consideration of adopting or adapting India's strategies, and opportunities to collaborate with India.
**Citizens of India**
* **Impact:** Awareness of Government of India’s effort in addressing issues in India and globally.
* **Action Required:** No action is required.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The Indian government ministry responsible for policies and programs related to women and children.
UN Commission for Social Development: The UN body where India highlighted its development approach.
Second World Summit for Social Development: An international summit whose outcomes are being leveraged.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Flagship initiative to strengthen education and financial security for girls.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: Flagship initiative to strengthen education and financial security for girls.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
India highlights Rights-Based, Inclusive and
People-Centric development approach at the
64th session of the UN Commission for social
development being held at the United Nations
Headquarters, New York, USA
Women and Child Development Minister of State, Smt. Savitri
Thakur, addresses the Ministerial Forum on the theme
“Leveraging the outcomes of the Second World Summit for
Social Development from Copenhagen to Doha: Mobilizing
National Action towards 2030 and beyond.”
Posted On: 04 FEB 2026 8:00AM by PIB Delhi
India highlighted its rights-based, inclusive, and people-centric development approach at the UN
discussion on “Leveraging outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development from
Copenhagen to Doha.” Delivering India’s statement, Minister of State for Women and Child
Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, underscored that social justice remains central to India’s national
vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.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
More than 550 million citizens access free healthcare through an extensive network of health and wellness
centres
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
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
Smt. 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. Ms. Camilla Waltersson
Grönvall, Minister for Social Services, Government of Sweden.
***SS/PC
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