Powerful voices of amazing women leaders resonated at the United Nations Headquarters

Newyork:4/5/24:May 3, 2024, marked a momentous occasion as the powerful voices of women representatives resonated within the hallowed halls of the United Nations Headquarters. Elected women representatives (EWRs) from India’s Panchayati Raj Institutions took center stage at the CPD57 Side Event titled “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way”, captivating the audience with their inspiring stories and transformative initiatives. Three iconic women Panchayat leaders – Smt. Supriya Das Datta, Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari and Smt. Neeru Yadav – inspired by their ground-breaking work empowering women and girls through initiatives ranging from combating child marriage, promoting education, financial inclusion, livelihood opportunities, environmental sustainability, and sports. Their stories exemplified the tenacity and impact of women’s leadership in realizing the SDGs.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj jointly organized the Side Event in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 3rd May 2024 at the UN Headquarters Secretariat Building in New York. The Side Event was organized as a part of the fifty-seventh session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD57)

Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj set the tone for the event, highlighting India’s unique Panchayati Raj system as a beacon of decentralized power and direct democracy. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj set the context by highlighting India’s unique system of decentralized rural local self-government through Panchayati Raj as a sterling example of direct democracy that facilitates active people’s participation. With more than 1.4 million Elected Women Representatives (EWRs), India’s journey with Panchayati Raj system is a narrative of empowerment, inclusion and progress particularly highlighting the strides made in women’s leadership. Ambassador Kamboj emphasized the meticulous alignment of local planning processes with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a special focus on addressing women’s issues.

The CPD57 Side Event underlined the invaluable contributions of women in local governance towards achieving the SDGs. It sparked a global demand for exporting India’s Panchayati Raj model as an effective system of local governance, inviting interested foreign delegations to witness the brilliance and innovation of India’s Panchayati Raj system and Panchayati Raj Institutions firsthand. The CPD57 Side Event created global demand to learn from and institutionalize the successful Panchayati Raj model of local governance led by women. As Ambassador Kamboj stated, this system has revolutionized development with women at the forefront across health, education, sanitation and livelihoods in India.