India Reaffirms Rights-Based Social Development at UN Social Commission

The 64th session of CSocD was presided over by Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations.

India has reaffirmed its strong commitment to inclusive, equitable and rights-based social development at the 64th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD), with a high-level delegation led by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur.

Delivering India’s national statement, Smt. Thakur underscored that social justice and social protection in India are firmly anchored in constitutional guarantees and aligned with the country’s long-term vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047”.

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“Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” as Guiding Principle

The Minister highlighted “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” as the guiding philosophy of India’s social development approach, reflecting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society model aimed at ensuring that no one is left behind, especially women, children and vulnerable communities.

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Large-Scale National Initiatives Driving Inclusion

Smt. Thakur outlined a range of transformational national initiatives that demonstrate India’s focus on scale, inclusion and last-mile delivery, including:

• Near parity in girls’ and boys’ participation in education, supported by improved school infrastructure and residential schooling in remote and underserved regions

• Expansion of basic services such as piped drinking water, clean cooking energy and sanitation, significantly improving quality of life for women and marginalised groups

• Transformative financial inclusion, with hundreds of millions of bank accounts opened, and women emerging as key beneficiaries of entrepreneurship and credit-linked schemes

• Nationwide protection and support systems for women and children, including dedicated helplines and integrated service centres

• Comprehensive maternal, child health and nutrition programmes, reaching over 100 million beneficiaries

• Expanded social security coverage for the elderly, persons with disabilities, unorganised workers and transgender persons

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Digital Public Infrastructure as an Enabler

India highlighted the critical role of digital public infrastructure and Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) in strengthening transparency, efficiency and accountability in public service delivery, ensuring that benefits reach intended beneficiaries without leakages.

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Call for Global Cooperation

Emphasising 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 and sustainable social development models worldwide.

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High-Level Global Participation

The 64th session of CSocD was presided over by Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations. The session was addressed by senior global leaders, including:

• UN Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Amina J. Mohammed,

• President of the UN General Assembly H.E. Annalena Baerbock,

• President of ECOSOC and Permanent Representative of Nepal, Ambassador Lokbahadur Thapa,

• ASG (Policy Coordination), UN DESA, Ms. Bjorg Sandkjaer, and

• Chair, NGO Committee on Social Development, Ms. Gillian D’Souza-Nazareth.

The session witnessed participation from over 100 UN Member States, reflecting strong global engagement on advancing social development.