Agropasteur

At the UN’s High-Level Political Forum 2025, Indian activist Shobha Shukla called for bold, rights-based, and gender-transformative action to advance health and gender equality — fundamental and indivisible human rights.

“The right to health is inseparable from gender equality and human rights,” declared Shobha Shukla, the main speaker for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 — Good Health and Well-being — at the 2025 UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), held from July 14 to 23 at UN Headquarters in New York.

Based in Lucknow, Shukla was the only Indian on the panel and spoke on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (AP-RCEM). HLPF 2025: Science-Driven and Inclusive Solutions for the 2030 Agenda

The 2025 HLPF is focused on the theme: “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions, based on science, evidence and data, to accelerate recovery and the full implementation of the SDGs.” The forum is reviewing five key SDGs:,SDG 3: Good health and well-being,SDG 5: Gender equality,SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth,SDG 14: Life below water,SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals.

The interlinkage and indivisibility of the SDGs remain central to the forum’s approach.

According to Shobha Shukla, health progress is faltering across the Asia-Pacific region. She highlighted key challenges such as inequitable access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), preventable diseases, lack of universal health coverage, and insufficient access to essential tools like vaccines, diagnostics, and medicines.

A former physics professor and founding executive director of CNS, Shukla is also the coordinator of the “SHE & Rights” program — focusing on sexual health, equity, and rights. A feminist and advocate for development justice, she emphasized the critical need to link SDG 3 with SDG 5:

“We cannot achieve SDG 3 without advancing SDG 5 on gender equality.”

Shukla warned against the rise of anti-rights and anti-gender ideologies, including the regressive Geneva Consensus Declaration. She also noted recent funding cuts to gender equality and health, austerity measures in heavily indebted nations, and shrinking domestic health budgets — all contributing to SDG 3 backsliding.

“Essential health services must include sexual and reproductive health, including safe abortion and post-abortion care, menstrual hygiene, and mental health support — particularly for women, adolescent girls, persons with disabilities, Indigenous communities, gender-diverse groups, the elderly, youth, migrants, refugees, people living with HIV, sex workers, and drug users,” she said.

She also stressed the need for inclusive services for survivors of gender-based and sexual violence.

Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance and Corporate Harm. As president of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA), Shukla urged governments to adopt a One Health approach to tackle antimicrobial resistance and reduce misuse of medicines.

She also called for enforcement of Articles 5.3 and 19 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC):“Governments must hold the tobacco and nicotine industries accountable for the harm they cause to public health and our planet. Corporate interference in public health policy must end.”

Global Financial Reform for Gender and Health Justice; Shukla advocated for gender-transformative economic reform and called for a shift away from debt-driven austerity. Most Global South countries remain trapped in cycles of debt, forced to cut essential public services especially healthcare, education, and social protection.

“Governments must suspend patents and abolish trade rules that block access to life-saving medicines and technologies. Binding treaties like the UN Charter, CEDAW, and the FCTC must take precedence over profit-driven trade deals.”

She also criticized the failure of multilateralism during COVID-19, citing vaccine hoarding and wastage by wealthier nations while Global South countries were left without access.

“We cannot afford a North-dominated multilateralism.” A Call for People-Centered, Rights-Based Public Services

Shukla urged governments to protect workers’ health, enforce the right to information, and implement strong exposure limits — particularly for vulnerable populations.

“All SDG 3 targets must be fully funded. DAC countries must fulfill their official development assistance (ODA) commitments, especially for gender equality and health. At the same time, national resource mobilization for health must be a priority.”

She concluded with a call to action: “We must ensure that health responses and public services are people-centered, gender-transformative, and grounded in human rights ,  without conditions or exclusions.” “With just five and a half years left to achieve SDG 3, we urge governments to accelerate efforts on gender equality and the right to health — leaving no one behind.” Babacar sene Journal Agropasteur

Placée sous le thème « Promouvoir des solutions durables, inclusives, fondées sur la science et les preuves pour l’Agenda 2030 », l’édition 2025 du FPHN évalue plusieurs ODD , ODD 3 sur la Santé et le bien-être, l’ODD 5 sur Égalité des sexes, l’ODD 8 sur le Travail décent et la croissance économique, l’ODD 14 sur la Vie aquatique et l’ODD 17 sur le Partenariats pour la réalisation des objectifs.Intervenante principale pour l’ODD 3 au Forum politique de haut niveau des Nations Unies, l’activiste indienne Shobha Shukla plaide pour une approche intégrée et équitable des droits à la santé et à l’égalité des sexes, face aux reculs observés dans la région Asie-Pacifique.« Le droit à la santé est indissociable de l’égalité des sexes et des droits humains. » C’est par ces mots que Shobha Shukla, a ouvert son intervention en tant qu’intervenante principale sur l’Objectif de Développement Durable (ODD) n°3 Santé et bien-être — au Forum politique intergouvernemental de haut niveau (FPHN 2025) des Nations Unies, qui se tient du 14 au 23 juillet au siège de l’ONU à New York.Unique représentante indienne sur le panel, Shobha Shukla s’exprimait au nom du Mécanisme d’engagement de la société civile pour la région Asie-Pacifique.Placée sous le thème « Promouvoir des solutions durables, inclusives, fondées sur la science et les preuves pour l’Agenda 2030 », l’édition 2025 du FPHN évalue plusieurs ODD , ODD 3 sur la Santé et le bien-être, l’ODD 5 sur Égalité des sexes, l’ODD 8 sur le Travail décent et la croissance économique, l’ODD 14 sur la Vie aquatique et l’ODD 17 sur le Partenariats pour la réalisation des objectifs.Le forum pour ne laisser personne de côté , rappelle le caractère intégré, indivisible et interdépendant des Objectifs de développement durable.Malgré tout des progrès en recul sont notés dans la région Asie-PacifiqueSelon Shobha Shukla, les avancées en matière de santé restent fragiles dans la région Asie-Pacifique. Elle alerte sur les difficultés persistantes dans l’accès universel aux services de santé, aux droits sexuels et reproductifs, à la couverture sanitaire universelle, ainsi qu’aux vaccins, diagnostics et traitements abordables.Ancienne enseignante de physique et directrice exécutive fondatrice du CNS, elle coordonne également le programme « Santé sexuelle, équité et droits (SHE & Droits) ». Militante féministe, elle insiste sur l’impact des inégalités de genre sur la santé et estime que « Les objectifs de l’ODD 3 ne peuvent être atteints sans progresser sur l’ODD 5. »Une conjoncture inquiétante note Shukla qui dénonce une série de tendances alarmantes ; c’est aussi la montée des mouvements anti-droits et anti-genre, comme la Déclaration de Genève ; la réduction de l’aide au développement pour la santé et l’égalité des sexes ; les mesures d’austérité dans les pays endettés ; et la faible priorité accordée aux dépenses de santé.Elle appelle à une intégration effective des services de santé sexuelle et reproductive dans les systèmes de santé essentiels :« Ces services doivent inclure l’avortement médicalisé, les soins post-avortement, la santé mentale, l’hygiène menstruelle, et répondre aux besoins spécifiques des groupes marginalisés. »Présidente de l’Alliance mondiale des médias pour la résistance antimicrobienne (GAMA), Shobha Shukla exhorte les pays à adopter l’approche One Health pour freiner la résistance aux antimicrobiens. Elle rappelle aussi les responsabilités des industries du tabac et de la nicotine dans la dégradation de la santé publique :« Il est temps que les gouvernements fassent appliquer les articles 5.3 et 19 de la Convention-cadre de l’OMS pour tenir ces industries responsables. »C’est une nécessité impérieuse de porter le plaidoyer pour des réformes économiques équitables ; en cela elle plaide en faveur d’une refonte de l’architecture financière mondiale, appelant à des réformes transformatrices basées sur les droits humains, la justice, et l’égalité. Les dettes insoutenables du Sud global entraînent des coupes budgétaires dans les services essentiels comme la santé et l’éducation.« Les brevets doivent être suspendus, les règles commerciales révisées, et les intérêts commerciaux ne doivent plus primer sur la santé publique. »Elle rappelle également les inégalités flagrantes observées durant la pandémie de COVID-19, lorsque les pays riches ont stocké des vaccins pendant que d’autres manquaient cruellement de doses.Shobha Shukla insiste sur l’importance de recentrer les politiques de santé autour des personnes et de garantir des réponses transformatrices, sensibles au genre et fondées sur les droits. Un appel à l’action.« À moins de cinq ans et demi de l’échéance de l’Agenda 2030, il est urgent que les gouvernements redoublent d’efforts pour garantir l’égalité des sexes et le droit universel à la santé, sans laisser personne de côté. »Babacar sene Journal Agropasteur

In July 2025, on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the second edition of the SHE & Rights Media Awards was officially launched during a dedicated session. This initiative, which will run through November 2025, aims to recognize journalists and media professionals from Africa and the Asia-Pacific who report in a responsible, inclusive, and rights-based manner on the topics raised during the SHE & Rights sessions.The event is co-organized by a broad coalition of international organizations, including the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025, the Family Planning News Network (FPNN), the Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), the Asia-Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media ), and CNS.In a global context marked by growing opposition to human rights, gender equality, and reproductive health, the organizers emphasize the critical role of the media. The media have the power to shift mindsets, influence decision-makers, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).“There can be no socially just future if we leave behind women and people of diverse gender identities,” affirm the initiators of this award, which celebrates rights-based, people-centered, and gender-sensitive journalism.The first edition of the SHE & Rights Media Awards (September 2024 – March 2025) was a resounding success. It received 282 media entries from 21 countries, selected based on topics covered in the monthly SHE & Rights sessions. An 11-member jury was mobilized to evaluate the submissions.The awards ceremony was held in Geneva alongside the World Health Assembly.For this second edition, journalists and media professionals from Africa and the Asia-Pacific are invited to submit their work published or broadcast between July 1 and September 15, 2025, based on the themes discussed in SHE & Rights sessions during the same period.Accepted formats include news articles, reports, blog posts, photos, documentaries, podcasts, social media content, and television or radio programs.Submissions can be made in multiple languages, provided that each non-English entry is accompanied by an English translation.About eligibility Criteria, must be an active journalist or media professional based in Africa or the Asia-Pacific, the content must relate to topics covered in SHE & Rights sessions held between July 1 and September 15, 2025, to Proof of publication or broadcast is required (e.g., links, screenshots, confirmation documents) and entries must be in commonly accessible formats (.mp3, .mp4, .mov, .pdf, etc.), entries promoting anti-rights or discriminatory narratives will be disqualified, individuals involved in organizing or managing the awards (e.g., CNS) are not eligible.About awards and recognition, there will be two major regional categories: Africa Category and Asia-Pacific Category; and for each region: 1st Prize: A grant to attend ICFP 2025 in Bogotá, Colombia, and cover the event; 2nd and 3rd Prizes: Media accreditation for ICFP 2025 and recognition during a special ceremony, and Special Mentions: Official acknowledgment during a hybrid event.All winners will receive a certificate of recognition and will be showcased on the platforms of CeHDI, CNS, ICFP 2025, and partner organizations.Submissions are open from July 1 to September 15, 2025 (until 5 PM Geneva time).Results will be announced in late September, and the award ceremony will take place during ICFP 2025 in November in Bogotá.In addition to the awards, all applicants will receive a certificate of participation, and the best entries will be featured on the networks and websites of the partners , amplifying the voices of those committed to equality, health, and human rights.Submit your entries and become a catalyst for change through journalism that champions justice and inclusion.Babacar sene Journal Agropasteur