India’s voice can gain from commitment to inclusivity: Guterres

NEW DELHI: India’s voice on the world stage can become more powerful and credible with a “strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home”, United Nations Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday.

Gutteres made the remarks while addressing a gathering at the Indian Institute of Technology (Iit)-bombay on the theme “India-un Partnership: Strengthening South-south Cooperation”. He listed ways in which India could burnish its credentials in this area, including unequivocal condemnation of hate speech and protecting the rights of journalists and human rights activists.

The UN chief’s 26-minute speech largely focused on India’s achievements over the past 75 years as the world’s largest democracy, its current role as the fastestgrowing major economy, and the part played by it as a founding member of the UN. He also focused on “India’s unique opportunity” to shape the global agenda and to “make or break the 2030 Agenda and the SDGS” as the home of one-sixth of humanity and the world’s largest generation of young people.

Ruchira Kamboj, India’s envoy to the UN in New York, told the gathering that the country is among the top 25 financial contributors to the UN and has proved to be a “voice of reason” that speaks for developing countries. She pointed to India’s contributions such as providing Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic and humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Yemen and Sri Lanka.

Towards the end of his address, Gutteres said India has been a global leader from the moment of its birth and the country’s non-violent independence movement encouraged anti-colonial struggles across the world. “India’s voice on the global stage can only gain in authority and credibility from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home. The Indian model of plurality is based on a simple but profound understanding: diversity is a richness that makes your country stronger,” Guterres said.

He listed the ways this could be achieved: “by practising the values of Gandhi, by securing and upholding the rights and dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, by taking concrete action for inclusion, recognising the enormous value and contributions of multicultural, multi-religious and multiethnic societies, by condemning hate speech unequivocally”.