Maha activist Varsha Deshpande becomes third Indian to get UN Populations Award
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She was conferred the award at the UN, New York, on Friday.
"Deshpande is a pioneering women's rights activist with more than 35 years of experience working on gender-based violence, discrimination and gender. She founded the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal in 1990 to advance women's rights and gender justice. She tirelessly works to empower grassroot women by building their vocational skills, connecting them to vital resources and services and fostering their financial independence.
She has also played a pivotal role in addressing gender-biased sex selection, championing legal reforms and behaviour change through community engagement and advocacy," read the statement issued by the UN.
Among her pioneering contributions, Deshpande worked to fight against gender-biased sex selection. In a written statement, the social worker said, "The award is the recognition of my efforts to address gender-biased sex selection and declining sex ratio.
It is a tribute to the collective work of countless individuals. The award reinforces the importance of investing in the value of women and girls."
HelpAge India, the group working with and for disadvantaged elderly people in India for four decades, is serving their needs and enabling them to live active, dignified, and healthier lives. It was the recipient of the UN Population Award in 2020 in the institutional category.
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Each year, the committee for the United Nations Population Award honours an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health issues and solutions. The award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983. It is now in its fortieth year. It consists of a gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary prize.
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