India, Guatemala Reaffirm Partnership on Women-Led Inclusive Development

On the sidelines of the Commission for Social Development at the United Nations, Union Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur met Her Excellency Claudia Teresa Valenzuela Lopez, Vice-Minister of Social Development of Guatemala, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening its warm and mutually beneficial partnership with Guatemala.

The meeting highlighted shared priorities in social development, gender equality and inclusive growth, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation in areas that directly impact vulnerable and marginalised communities.

India Showcases Women-Centric Development Model

During the discussions, Smt. Thakur outlined India's whole-of-government approach to women-led and inclusive development, highlighting key interventions in:

• Social protection and poverty alleviation

• Education, health and nutrition

• Skill development and women's economic participation

• Digital empowerment and digital public infrastructure

She shared India's experience with flagship initiatives such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), PM POSHAN school meals, and scalable digital public platforms, expressing India's willingness to share best practices with partner countries.

The Minister welcomed Guatemala's inclusion in the ShakthiSAT global STEM initiative for girls, describing it as a positive step towards empowering young women through science, technology and innovation.

Shared Focus on Gender Equality and Indigenous Welfare

Both sides underscored their shared commitment to:

• Gender equality and women's empowerment

• Poverty eradication and inclusive growth

• Welfare of indigenous communities

• Strengthening multilateral cooperation at the United Nations

They explored avenues for enhanced collaboration in social development programmes and community-level interventions.

Engagement With Indian Diaspora

On the margins of the visit, Smt. Thakur also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, where she highlighted the Pankhudi Portal and encouraged the community to actively contribute to India's development journey.

She called on diaspora members to support Anganwadi centres and childcare homes, including through voluntary service and philanthropic contributions, emphasising the role of the overseas Indian community in strengthening social welfare initiatives back home.

The engagements reaffirmed India's growing focus on global partnerships for inclusive and people-centric development, particularly in the Global South.