The  

Discourse Route

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Indian Diplomacy Summit presents "The Discourse Route", a series of fortnightly discussions about persisting issues in India.

Once every two weeks, two speakers shall engage in a meaningful conversation about a specific agenda and SDG pertaining to India on our platform.

Our aim is to educate people about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) and where we stand at achieving them in our own country. We hope to create awareness and responsiveness amongst the youth through this initiative.

Watch Neelika Chakrabarti and Sagar Menon address the effects of pandemic on the mental health of people in India with reference to SDG 3. Goal 3 – (Good Health and well-being) - This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promotes well-being for all persons with disabilities. Additionally, it ensures access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights for all persons with disabilities. The world leaders have recognized the promotion of mental health and well-being, and the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, as health priorities within the global development agenda. The inclusion of mental health and substance abuse in the Sustainable Development Agenda has led to a positive impact on communities and countries where millions of people are receiving the much-needed help.

Watch Aditya Bhatt and Shashank Gupta address the Post-Pandemic economic recovery of India with reference to SDG 8. Goal 8 - (Decent work and Economic growth) - This goal aims at promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. During the pandemic 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy was on the verge of losing their livelihoods. The global economic growth was slowing down and the world faced the worst economic recession since the great depression. COVID-19 caused the equivalent of 400 million job losses in the second quarter of 2020. The impact of this pandemic has been felt by all the countries including India. The country has evidently struggled with the loss of numerous jobs, lack of employment opportunities which eventually led to an economic decline. However, as the Indian economy continues to recover, we are seeing slower growth, widening inequalities, and not enough jobs to keep up with a growing labour force.

Watch Sumit Anand, Harshkumar Kedia and Dhruv Qureshi address the need of proper healthcare, education and decent livelihood for the LGBTQ+ community with reference to SDG 10. Goal 10 - (Reduced inequalities) - This goal aims at reducing inequalities at large within and amongst countries. When the United Nations decided to create a set of global goals to end poverty and inequality by 2030, equality groups pushed for the rights and needs of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people to be taken into account. The result, The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was agreed in 2015 and signed onto by 193 governments on the basis that they apply to everyone, everywhere and will ‘leave no one behind’. We are calling for governments and development organisations worldwide to keep their promise and to make sure that the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people in terms of decent livelihood and healthcare are accounted for in their responses to the SDGs. By doing this, we can help achieve our mission for every person to be accepted without exception.

Watch Jimson Lemos and Irsa Motahari address the lack of legal protection for women in India with reference to SDG 5. Goal 5 - (Gender Equality) - This goal aims at reducing gender-based inequality at large within and amongst countries. In India, there is a lack of legal protection when it comes to women. Eliminating gender-based violence has become a priority, given that this is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world today. Based on data from 87 countries, 1 in 5 women and girls under the age of 50 will have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner within the last 12 months. UN Women acts to empower women and girls across all its programmes and advocacy. With stepped-up action on gender equality, every part of the world can make progress towards sustainable development by 2030, leaving no one behind.

Watch Ayushi Johari and Yashwanth Kolli address the need of building a safe and inclusive learning space in India with reference to SDG 4. Goal 4 - (Quality Education) - This goal ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all. In India, significant progress had been made in universalising primary education, with improvement in the enrolment and completion rates of girls in both primary and elementary school. The net enrolment ratio in primary education for boys and girls was at 100%, while at the national level, the youth literacy rate was 94% for males and 92% for females. The new national Education Policy and Sustainable Development Goal 4 share the goals of universal quality education and lifelong learning. Achieving inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.

Watch Shivangi Desai and Rahul Radhakrishnan address the need of criminalising marital rape in India with reference to SDG 16. Goal 16 - (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) - This goal promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. Conflict, insecurity, weak institutions, and limited access to justice remain a great threat to sustainable development. Millions of people have been deprived of their security, human rights, and access to justice. In 2018, the number of people fleeing war, persecution, and conflict exceeded 70 million, the highest level recorded by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in nearly 70 years. The pandemic is potentially leading to an increase in social unrest and violence, which would greatly undermine the world’s ability to meet the targets of Goal 16. The Indian government has agreed to adopt the 17 Goals for 2030 set out by the UNDP. At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, PM Narendra Modi addressed the UNGA committing India to the goals which include a target of eliminating “all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres”. The reference to private spheres is what the UN believes must include the criminalisation of marital rape if India is to keep that promise.

Watch Loveleen Palan and Shivangi Tripathi discuss manual scavenging in India with reference to SDG 8. Goal 8 - (Decent Work and Economic growth) - This goal aims at promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. It calls for “full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men”, and to “protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, particularly women migrants, and those in precarious employment”. To achieve this Goal, major sanitation challenges in developing countries must be addressed. Manual scavenging is an age-old, stigmatized practice relegated to the lower castes in India (Dalits), and is a serious human rights violation that undermines the dignity, health and wellbeing of those involved in manually cleaning, carrying and disposing of human excreta from dry latrines, drains and other sanitation systems. Sanitation workers face adverse health consequences due to hazardous work environment, absence of safety gears and equipment, and standard operating procedures for cleaning septic tanks and sewers. When faced with a paucity of alternative employment opportunities and continued caste discrimination after rehabilitation, workers either continue with sanitation work or risk unemployment.

Watch Deepjoy Dey and Monjita Baruah address the effect of climate change on Indian farmers with reference to SDG 13. Goal 13 - (Climate Action) - This goal aims at taking urgent action in order to combat climate change and its impacts. As of 31 March 2021, 125 of 154 developing countries are undertaking measures for national adaptation plans (NAPs) and are prioritizing formulation and implementation of NAPs in their adaptation efforts. Six LDCs (including three SIDS) and additional four SIDS have completed a NAP. More LDCs have a draft NAP and are on track to complete and submit these in line with the vision of all LDCs having their NAPs by 2021. The effect of climate change poses many threats; one of the important consequences is bringing about changes in the quality and quantity water resources and crop productivity. It can be concluded that the Indian region is highly sensitive to climate change. Agriculture sector is the most prone sector as it will have a direct bearing on the living of 1.2 billion people. India has set a target of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Watch Alyssa Arizo and Sagar Kalra address the collaborative efforts of voluntary organizations in achieving the SDGs in COVID 19 with reference to SDG 17. Goal 17 - (Partnerships for the goals) - This goal aims at strengthening the means of implementation and revitalization of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, it recognizes multi-stakeholder partnerships as important vehicles for mobilizing and sharing knowledge, expertise, technologies, and financial resources to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, particularly developing countries. The COVID 19pandemic presents both an enormous challenge and tremendous opportunities for reaching the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a roadmap for humanity. They encompass almost every aspect of human and planetary wellbeing and, if met, will provide a stable and prosperous life for every person and ensure the health of the planet. In times like these, the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals will require all hands on deck. It will require different sectors and actors working together in an integrated manner by pooling financial resources, knowledge, and expertise.