New Delhi

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the Annual General Meeting and Biennial Conference of the Asia Pacific Forum on Human Rights in New Delhi on Wednesday, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human rights and environmental conservation. 

Addressing the attendees, President Murmu emphasized the need to view human rights and environmental preservation as intertwined causes. 

She highlighted the urgent need to care for Mother Nature, which has suffered greatly from human indiscretions. 

In India, where every particle of the universe is seen as a manifestation of divinity, there is a call to rekindle love for nature and take action to conserve and enrich it before it's too late, President's Secretariat said in a release. 

President Murmu said, "We ensured a minimum of 33% reservation for women in local bodies election. A proposal to provide similar reservations for women in the State Assemblies and national Parliament is taking shape now. It will be the most transformative revolution in our times for gender justice."

President Murmu pointed out that while humans have the capacity to create, they also have the power to destroy.

Scientific studies indicate that the planet is currently experiencing the sixth extinction phase, where man-made destruction could lead to the undoing of not just the human race but all life on Earth.

In this context, the President stressed that beyond legal frameworks, it is a moral obligation of the international community to ensure human rights in every sense.

Notably, one session of the conference is exclusively dedicated to discussing environmental issues and climate change.

President Murmu expressed confidence that the conference would produce a comprehensive declaration that contributes to the betterment of humanity and the planet.

Discussing India's achievements in promoting human rights, President Murmu highlighted the country's commitment to universal adult franchise from the Republic's inception, leading to significant progress in gender justice and the protection of life and dignity, read the press release.

She noted the reservation of a minimum of 33 per cent for women in local body elections and the proposal for similar reservation in state assemblies and the national Parliament, which she described as a transformative revolution for gender justice.

President Murmu affirmed India's readiness to learn from global best practices to continually improve human rights within the nation, read the release.

She underscored the Asia Pacific Region Forum's significant role in building international consensus through deliberations and consultations with human rights institutions and stakeholders worldwide.

The President's speech at the Asia Pacific Forum on Human Rights reflects the commitment to addressing pressing issues of our time, encompassing both human rights and environmental sustainability.