Health and gender equality are indivisible human rights: Civil society expert at UN meet

By A Representative

“The right to health cannot be dislocated from gender equality and human rights,” said Shobha Shukla, speaking as the Lead Discussant for SDG-3 (health and well-being) at the ongoing United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF 2025) in New York. Representing the Asia Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism, she was the only Indian on the SDG-3 panel.

The HLPF 2025, held from 14–23 July at the UN Headquarters, is reviewing key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG-3 (health), SDG-5 (gender equality), SDG-8 (economic growth), SDG-14 (oceans), and SDG-17 (global partnerships), under the theme:

“Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind.”

Shukla, a prominent feminist and development justice advocate based in Lucknow, highlighted how gender disparities continue to impair health outcomes across Asia Pacific, obstructing progress toward universal health coverage, access to affordable medicines, and sexual and reproductive rights.

“Sexual and reproductive health and bodily autonomy are critical to deliver on SDG3 and other SDGs,” said Shukla. “Essential health services must include access to safe abortion, menstrual health, mental health, and post-violence care – especially for marginalized communities like adolescent girls, people with disabilities, gender-diverse individuals, indigenous peoples, refugees, and others.”

She raised alarms over the rollback of gender and health rights due to the rise of anti-rights ideologies, austerity in debt-burdened countries, and the defunding of development assistance. Shukla stressed that corporate interference in public health policy must end, and corporations harming health and the planet must be held accountable.

As Chairperson of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA), she called for urgent measures to curb the misuse of medicines to prevent antimicrobial resistance, using the “One Health” approach.

“Save the medicines that protect us,” she urged. “Governments must prevent overuse and enforce accountability through frameworks like WHO FCTC Articles 5.3 and 19.”

Shukla also advocated for gender-transformative reform of the global financial architecture, noting that debt servicing obligations imposed on Global South countries result in cuts to health, education, and social protection budgets.

“We cannot let profit override people’s interests. Trade rules must not impede access to medicines and medical technologies. The UN Charter and treaties like CEDAW and FCTC must take precedence,” she said.

Citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a case of “Global North-heavy multilateralism”, she reminded world leaders of vaccine inequities that left many in the Global South without access, even as doses expired in wealthier nations.

“With just five and a half years left to meet the 2030 Agenda, governments must act urgently to uphold the right to health and gender equality as indivisible and universal human rights,” said Shukla.

She emphasized that health systems and public services must be person-centred, gender-transformative, and rights-based, and urged developed countries to fulfill their commitments to official development assistance (ODA), while domestic resource mobilisation for health must also be prioritized.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Nepal votes amid regional rivalry: Why New Delhi is watching closely

By Nava Thakuria* As Nepal holds an early national election on Thursday (5 March 2026), the people of northeast India, along with other regional observers, are watching the proceedings closely. The vote was necessitated after the government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli collapsed in September 2025 following widespread anti-government protests. The election will determine the composition of the 275-member House of Representatives, originally scheduled for 2027, under the stewardship of an interim government led by former Supreme Court justice Sushila Karki.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.

Search This Blog