Indian parliamentarians support Stand Up 2009
Expressing their solidarity for the Stand Up Against Poverty Campaign, Indian parliamentarians have given a clarion call to address grave issues of infant and maternal mortality and human rights violations.
The Indian Parliamentarians have expressed support for the Stand Up Take Action 2009 Campaign against global poverty.
Quotes from the leaders:
- Agatha Sangma/ Photo credit: UNMC
Agatha Sangma, Minister of State for Rural Development and Joint Convenor, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals
"We must all move towards establishing a system of environmental sustainability by focusing on indigenous ways of protecting the environment and living as one with the nature. Local water harvesting practices, no dependency on fertilisers and respect for the food chain are all methods that must be respected and widely adopted.”
Dinesh Trivedi, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and
Member, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals 
“Infant mortality is an issue of serious concern. Instead of just focusing on the symptoms of the problems we need to address its underlying causes. Poverty, unemployment, lack of access to healthcare, proper sanitation facilities, clean drinking water are all contributing factors that need to be systematically addressed.”
Supriya Sule, MP (Lok Sabha) and Chairperson, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals
- Supriya Sule/ Photo credit: UNMC
“As a nation we can’t ignore the number of maternal deaths that happeneach year if we want to be taken seriously on the international stage. We need to systematically move towards increasing spending on health and healthcare in the country. Both pre and post natal care needs to be focused on as also behavioural changes so as to encourage women to delay pregnancies and get regular check ups done during their pregnancies.
Viplove Thakur, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Joint Convenor, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals
“I believe that we must all work towards ensuring that a stop is put to the number of infant deaths every year. The underlying factors of poverty, lackof proper access to healthcare, lack of nutrition security, proper sanitation and clean drinking water need to be addressed if these grave human rights violations are to be put an end to.”
Dr. Anup Kumar Saha, MP (Lok Sabha) and Member, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals
“Skewed sex ratios are still rampant in this country that now boasts of a female President. We should ensure that the appointment of the President should go beyond the symbolic and should inspire the Government of India
- Anup Kumar Saha/ Photo credit: UNMC
to adopt measures to promote gender equality and empower women to take control of their own lives and make a difference to the life and work of the country.”
Dr. M. Jagannath, MP (Lok Sabha), Member, Parliamentarians’ Group on Millennium Development Goals
“As a nation, we must move towards eradicating
- Dr. Jagganath/ Photo credit: UNMC
extreme hunger. The fact that many people have to go without food and water everyday is heart wrenching. We must all try and make India nutrition secure by providing them not only rice but also pulses, oil and other nutritious food so that people have a balanced diet”.
