India must follow inclusivity, shape human rights: UN chief

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said India’s voice could gain in authority and credibility on the global stage from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home.

Addressing students at the IIT-Bombay, Guterres pointed out that as a UN Human Rights Council member, India had a responsibility to shape up global human rights, protect and promote the rights of all individuals, including the minorities, and nurture and strengthen these in its diverse and pluralistic society. Among the people he identified as the most vulnerable were journalists, activists, academics and students. The UN chief also called for condemning hate speech and ensuring the continued independence of India’s judiciary.

Evoking Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of achieving all-inclusivity and protecting the rights of all sections, Guterres urged Indians to step up investments in inclusive, pluralistic, diverse communities and societies, besides doing more on women’s rights and gender equality, “here and all over the world”. It would help by recognising the enormous values and contributions of the multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies, and unequivocal condemnation of hate speech, he suggested.

He termed the international financial system as “morally bankrupt” as it favoured rich countries. “That is why I also encourage India’s engagement in deep reform of the global financial architecture, which favours those that conceived it, and it is terribly detrimental to the interests of the developing countries, especially the least-developed nations,” he said while mentioning that four key developing countries would lead the G20 in succession.

Accompanied by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, he also paid tributes to the 166 victims of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai at Taj Hotel. “Fighting terrorism should be the global priority of every country,” he said, while pointing out that he had taken the lead in setting up an office for counter-terrorism to fight violent extremism. The 26/11 terror attacks were one of the most barbaric acts of terrorism in history, he said.

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