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India’s women played 'big role' in enhancing influence and power of UN: PM Modi
Addressing the 82nd edition of his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Modi said that India has been associated with the United Nations since its establishment. Before Independence, India signed the charter of the UN in 1945, he added.
On the occasion of the United Nations Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that India's women played a big role in enhancing the influence and power of the UN.
The United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the UN Charter came into force.
Addressing the 82nd edition of his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Modi said that India has been associated with the United Nations since its establishment. Before Independence, India signed the charter of the UN in 1945, he added.
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Highlighting the role of India's women in the UN, Modi said “In 1947-48, when the universal declaration of UN human rights was being prepared, it was initially written in the declaration that ‘All men are created equal'. But a delegate from India, Hansa Mehta objected to this and it then got changed to ‘All human beings are created equal' in the declaration. This was in line with India's old-age tradition of gender equality."
Born in 1897, Hansa Jivraj Mehta was a reformist, social activist, writer and feminist who had also India represented on the Nuclear Sub-Committee on the status of women in 1946.
“At the same time, another delegate Lakshmi Menon spoke vigorously on the issue of gender equality,” Modi said during his Mann Ki Baat.
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The Prime Minister threw light on Indian diplomat and politician Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, who became the first female president of the UN general assembly in 1953. Pandit had also served as the governor of Maharashtra from 1962 to 1964.
Modi said that India has been a part of the UN peacekeeping missions since 1950, and is also playing a leading role in issues such as climate change, poverty alleviation.
“Apart from the above, India is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) to popularise Yoga and Ayush,” he said.
