Associated News Bureau

Darakshan Hassan Bhat Highlights India’s Digital Transformation at UN Human Rights Council

Geneva: President of the Kashmir Women’s Organization, Darakshan Hassan Bhat, represented India at the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where she highlighted India’s digital transformation and its impact on financial inclusion, public service delivery and opportunities for women and rural communities. Addressing the Council, Bhat said India’s digital journey was marked by the rapid expansion of digital public infrastructure and growing access to technology among ordinary citizens.She noted that the number of internet subscribers and users in India had increased from around 25.15 crore in 2014 to more than 109 crore, reflecting the expansion of digital connectivity across the country. Highlighting financial inclusion, Bhat said more than 55 crore Jan Dhan accounts had been opened, with women accounting for 55.7 per cent of account holders. She also referred to the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, through which more than ₹53 lakh crore had been transferred directly to beneficiaries. India’s digital payments ecosystem also featured prominently in her address. Bhat said the country was processing more than 20 billion UPI transactions every month, while over 5.6 lakh Common Service Centres were facilitating digital and public services in rural and underserved areas. She also highlighted the participation of women in India’s digital and financial transformation, stating that more than 10 crore rural women were connected through Self-Help Groups, creating a platform for financial inclusion, livelihoods and women-led economic empowerment. Bhat further highlighted the scale of India’s digital public infrastructure, including more than 1.44 billion Aadhaar enrolments and over 724.3 million DigiLocker users. At the same time, she stressed the importance of privacy, consent, cybersecurity and data protection as digital systems continue to expand. “Digital progress becomes meaningful when technology reaches those who have traditionally remained furthest from opportunity,” Bhat said.She said the success of digital transformation should be measured not only by technological advancement but also by its ability to expand access, opportunities and dignity for people at the last mile. In her concluding remarks, Bhat called for greater cooperation among governments, international institutions, civil society and technology partners to build a digital future that is inclusive, secure, accessible and people-centred.She also urged the international community to ensure that women, rural communities and vulnerable populations were not left behind as digital transformation accelerates globally. ANB