National
India, US can partner to promote women’s rights: US
New Delhi: Based on their “shared values”, India and the United States can be partners in promoting women’s rights around the world, United States Under-Secretary for Human Rights Sarah Sewall said Thursday.
Giving a lecture on “Human Rights Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century”, the senior US official spoke about the challenges before women in India observing that some citizens like women and children face challenges that require special attention from society.
“They (women) are frequently denied an education. Discrimination against females is what both countries face in different forms,” she added.
“In many places in India as well as the United States, forensic evidence in women’s crimes go unreported,” she said adding the two countries can share ideas about how to challenge these common problems.
Sewall is the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues for the United States department of state.
Sewall also spoke about the rights of sexual minorities observing that culture was not a valid excuse for denying rights to minorities including the LGBT community.
She gave the example of United States which she said had travelled a long way as far as giving rights to the LGBT community was concerned.
“One of the things that we have learnt is that attitudes that are very firmly held that deny the personhood of a person can change,” she said.
“We have seen an enormous change towards lesbian and trans-sexual people in United States over the years,” the senior US official said. This shows that “dominant attitudes are now dissipating”.
“So culture is not really an excuse for human rights,” she added.
Sewall said that India and the United States were both vibrant democracies. “In the United States, we have long seen diversity as our strength”.
“The US stands with each of you who believe that India’s growth should benefit the entire population including the scheduled castes, schedules tribes and the religious minorities,” she said.
“We have to think beyond economic growth. All these discussions must take place with civil society on how to address societal needs,” she added.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.