Opening Remarks during adoption of the Report of the 4^th Universal Periodic Review of India at the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council delivered by H.E. Mr. Sanjay Verma, Vice-Minister, Ministry of External Affairs [Geneva, 27 March 2023]

Mr. Vice-President,

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

Namaskar! A very good afternoon!

    It is my pleasure to address you at the adoption of the report of the 4^th cycle of India’s Universal Periodic Review.

2.   Allow me to begin by thanking you all for your constructive participation in our review, held on 10^th November last year. We appreciate the observations and recommendations made by the 130 Member States, who took the floor, and the 10 Member States that sent their advance questions to us. We value the information provided by different UN entities and other stakeholders, including Civil Society Organisations, in the process of the Review. We also thank the Troika, namely, Nepal, Netherlands and Sudan for their efforts in the preparation of our UPR Report and facilitating the review process.

3.   India attaches high importance to the UPR as one of the most useful mechanisms of the Human Rights Council that enables States to better meet their human rights obligations. We support the modalities of the UPR mechanism, especially as it is Member State-driven and is a non-politicised intergovernmental process which accords primacy to the State under review in the outcome and its implementation.

4.   The review allowed us to highlight the wide-ranging initiatives taken by the Government of India for the promotion and protection of human rights of our people. It also occasioned hearing from fellow Member States and other stakeholders on the enjoyment of human rights in India.

5.   Our National Report was drafted after exhaustive and extensive consultations with several Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, as well as other stakeholders, including the Judiciary, National Human Rights Institutions, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, academia, and domain experts. These consultations enabled inclusion of different perspectives and diversity of views. Challenges faced in the context of the Indian scenario were also discussed in the report. We also participated in a pre-session organised by the civil society in Geneva.

6.    A delegation headed by the Learned Solicitor General of India, Mr. Tushar Mehta, took part in the review. We deeply valued the comments and recommendations received during the interactive exchange. We tried to respond to as many issues raised as possible within the limited time available.

7.   With this constructive approach, the 339 recommendations were thoroughly examined in a rigorous process involving inter-ministerial consultations, in line with India’s human rights obligations and commitments. I’m happy to state that we have accepted over two-third of these recommendations for implementation and have taken note of the remaining.

8.  I’m also pleased to inform you that we have recently established a national mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow-up for all our human rights reporting obligations. This Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights comprising of senior officials across different Ministries and Departments of the Government of India will play an important role in delineating the steps advancing the promotion and protection of human rights of our people.

Mr. Vice-President,

9   Under Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, SabkaPrayas’, (translated as inclusive and sustainable development for all) the Government is ensuring a life of dignity for all our citizens. The strong political will for transformative socio-economic change is manifest in the wide-ranging legislative and schematic interventions and sustainable which are translating the constitutional ideals of equality and non-discrimination into reality. We have made rapid strides in achieving SDGs, tracked through our SDG India Index and Dashboard. Today, India is also on the cusp of achieving a favourable sex ratio due to the relentless efforts in protection of the girl child, this, Ladies & Gentlemen, a feat that for many seemed decades away.

10.   During the COVID-19 pandemic when our economy and employment suffered, we ensured supply of free food grains to over 800 million persons to ensure food and nutritional security. Our massive immunization drive of over 2.2 billion COVID vaccines administered to more than 1 billion persons shows our strong commitment to public health. In a move towards universal health coverage, we are now implementing one of the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programmes, Ayushman Bharat, to provide accessible and affordable healthcare to over 500 million beneficiaries.

11.   Under the world’s largest financial inclusion drive, more than 478 million bank accounts have been opened, a majority of the holders being women. It has enabled direct benefit transfer under various government welfare schemes to the eligible beneficiaries in a seamless manner. Cash transfers of nearly USD 27 billion have been similarly effected to over 114 million landholding farmers to supplement their financial needs. As many as 446 million persons from the marginalized sections now have access to low-cost life and accidental insurance cover.

12.   We are on track to meet our commitments towards climate action. Our emissions intensity of GDP has reduced by 24% between 2005 and 2016. India stands committed to reduce emissions’ intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, from 2005 level and achieve about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. Our long-term goal is to reach net-zero by 2070. The recently launched National Green Hydrogen Mission will further augment our renewable energy capacity.

Mr. Vice-President,

13.  India has also contributed significantly to the global promotion and protection of human rights by sharing our knowledge, experience and expertise with partner countries through South-South cooperation. Our commitment to the welfare of humanity was also evident in our COVID-19 response and assistance. We have supplied more than 291 million vaccines doses to 99 countries and 2 UN entities as well as medicines to over 150 countries.

14.   We have taken a lead in bringing together international coalitions such as International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure as well as in helping other countries address the challenge of climate change, including through India-UN Development Partnership Fund. Mission LiFE launched recently by Prime Minister Modi alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promotes a sustainable way of living based on values of conservation and moderation, through a mass movement.

15.    The theme of India’s ongoing G20 Presidency, ‘VasudhaivaKutumbakam’ or “One Earth, One Family, One Future” is reflective of our civilization belief in the universality of human values, interdependence, and solidarity. We will use this opportunity to amplify the perspectives and priorities of the Global South.

16.   As we commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30^th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, I reiterate India’s strong commitment to multilateralism, the UN Charter and its founding principles.

Mr. Vice-President,

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

17.   India celebrated the 75^th anniversary of independence last year. At independence, in 1947, we were politically inexperienced, socially fractured, chronically food challenged and economically devastated.  Insurgency, wars, natural disasters, famines followed.  We traversed a broken road.  But, today we stand proud as the only country of our size and scale to have proudly carved its own path while upholding democracy. 

18.   Excellencies, they say at an average country’s constitution has the life-span of less than a generation. India’s guiding light, its Constitution is showing the way to independent India’s fourth generation, and I may add, to a fifth of humanity. Our Constitution has evolved in response to the new challenges and in the process, we have repealed excessive and obsolete laws. These exhibit robustness of our system to protect and promote human rights of our people.

Mr. Vice-President,

19.   I look forward to constructive engagement in this session.

I thank you.