Statement by India at the Second Intersessional meeting for dialogue and cooperation on Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda: Decade of Action and Delivery on the SDGs] delivered by Sh. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on the 03^rd of December 2019 in Palais des Nations, Geneva.

“Human Rights and SDG Implementation at the national level.”

Thank You Mr. Chair,

At the outset, India would to thank the distinguished panellists for their insightful presentations.

Mr. Chair,

2. India recognizes the primacy of national responsibility and efforts in the realization of human rights. As the largest democracy in the world, protection of human rights has been an intrinsic part of the Indian tradition. India’s rich cultural values are based on the principle of inclusive development for all.

3. At the national level, the National Institution for Transforming India or NITI Aayog has mapped the goals and targets to various government ministries and initiatives. The Institution has also released a Three-Year Action Agenda to fast-track the national development goals, which are reflected in the SDGs. 

4. At the provincial level, various states in India are taking lead in incorporating the insights from the 2030 agenda into their development strategies. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has evolved a list of national indicators for monitoring the SDGs. Our emphasis in this regard has been strictly on verifiable outcome indicators and not perception-based measures.

5. India has been one of the fastest growing major economies.  This has enabled India to combat poverty through gainful employment opportunities as well as large-scale anti-poverty programmes. The country has cut the number of poor in half since 1993. Programmes such as 'Housing for All' are rapidly transforming the country. To end hunger India's food security programmes reach over 800 million citizens. Progressive legislations like the Maternity Benefit Programme are helping reduce gender inequality.

6. India also remains committed to protecting the environment.  It has offered an ambitious set of Nationally Determined Commitments as a part of the Paris Agreement. Another significant step has been the integration of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation under one Ministry for management of our water resources and water supply in an integrated and holistic manner. The target is to work with States to ensure piped water supply to all rural households by 2024.

7. We are also working towards a National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights in the near future.  

8. Development partnership occupies a paramount place in India’s foreign policy. Our development assistance is based on the “partnership model” than on the traditional “donor-recipient model”. India’s flagship technical cooperation programme ITEC has also been mapped onto the SDGs. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund launched in 2017 couple with its Commonwealth Window is a foray to institutionalize development cooperation at the multilateral-level with the UN Office of South-South Cooperation as the coordinating partner on behalf of the UN system.

Mr. Chair,

10. India’s efforts in promoting sustainable development will be an important contribution to our collective success. India believes that with sustained efforts at the national and global levels, it will indeed be possible to eradicate poverty. You can count on India's proactive role in undertaking this collective journey with the world and succeeding in accomplishing the SDGs by 2030. 

Thank You.