Rajasthan‘s Neeru Yadav to represent India in UNFPA meeting

The government of India has selected three elected women representatives Neeru Yadav, Supriya Das Datta, and Kunuku Hema Kumari, to represent India at the United Nations' “Localising the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” event. The event will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 3 May 2024. 

Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, is leading the Indian delegation to the United Nations event.

Organiser of the UN Event 

The “Localising the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way”  event in New York is being organised by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, along with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

The Indian-organised event will be held alongside during the 57th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD57), which will be held from 29 April - 3 May 2024 in New York, United States of America.

Importance of the Indian-sponsored event at the United Nations 

The Indian-sponsored “Localising the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” event focuses on the key role of Indian women in grassroots political leadership. 

It will also highlight the contribution of the elected women's local self-government representatives in achieving the sustainable development goals of gender equality, poverty alleviation, and inclusive development at the grassroots level,

The United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030, all people will enjoy peace and prosperity. The United Nations has set a target to achieve the 17 SDG goals by 2030.

About the three Indian elected women representative 

The three Indian women to represent India at the United Nations events are  

• Sepahijala Zilla Parishad, Tripura member Supriya Das Datta,
•  Sarpanch, Pekeru Gram Panchayat, Andhra Pradesh, Kunuku Hema Kumari, and 
• Sarpanch, Lambi Aheer Gram Panchayat, Rajasthan, Neeru Yadav, 

Neeru  Yadav 

• Neeru Yadav is Sarpanch of  Lambi Aheer Gram Panchayat, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. She is popular as “Hockey Wali Sarpanch”. She encouraged the girls to take up sports, especially hockey to challenge as a means of empowering women and to challenge gender stereotyping in the rural Rajasthani society.
• Neeru Yadav has also launched campaigns to reduce plastic wastage.
•  To preserve the environment and motivate society, she has launched the' My Tree–My Friend' campaign, in which plant saplings are presented as kanyadan during marriages. She has also launched and organised large-scale plantation drives for environmental preservation.
• She is a highly educated woman who has a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Education and is currently pursuing her Ph.D.
• At the U N event, she will share her experience in promoting women and girl-friendly Panchayats.

Supriya Das Datta

• Supriya Das Datta is currently the Sabhadhipat of the  Sepahijala Zilla Parishad, Tripura. She holds a  Diploma in Pharmacy.
• She is known for her role in promoting women’s involvement in the public decision-making process. 
• She has been working tirelessly in promoting child-care facilities to create a conducive work environment for women.
• Supriya Das Datta will speak at the United Nations event on the role of women's leadership in the panchayats in enabling inclusive development.

Kunuku Hema Kumari

• Kunuku Hema Kumari is a Sarpanch of Pekeru Gram Panchayat, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. 
• She holds a Master's Degree in Technology and has also been a faculty member at an Engineering College.
• Hema Kumari is known for her efforts to organise regular medical camps in her village. Her effort has ensured that the women and girls in the rural areas have access to health services.

Panchayati Raj In India 

• Panchayati Raj refers to local self-government in rural areas. It is also called grass-roots democracy because it is closest to the people.
• Article 40 of the Indian constitution provides for the constitution of village panchayats in India. 
• On the recommendation of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee 1957, Prime Minister Pandit Nehru inaugurated the first Panchayati Raj institution at Nagaur, Rajasthan, on 2 October 1959.
• The 73rd Constitutional Amendment, 1992, gave constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India by introducing the 11th Schedule in the constitution.
• Normally, there is a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in India. Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the Block level and Zila Parishad at the District level.
• The 73rd Amendment has reserved a minimum of one-third of the seats in all three tiers of the Panchayati Raj institutions for women.
• The state, which has a population of fewer than 20 lakhs, has only two tiers of Panchayati Raj. They do not have Panchayat Samiti.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was set up in 1969 as an agency of the United Nations. 
• Initially, it was named as United Nations Fund for Population Activities, but in 1987, it was renamed as United Nations Population Fund.
• The main function of the UNFPA is to ensure sexual and reproductive rights and choices for all, especially women and young people, and to encourage voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

Headquarters: New York, United States of America