New Delhi, Nov 27: Noting that the deprivation of access to the justice system and the denial of legal aid pose existential challenges to the vulnerable and weaker sections, particularly the Global South, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Monday that it was a must to neutralise these challenges through affirmative policies and initiatives to secure justice for them.

"We must neutralise these challenges through affirmative policies and initiatives to secure justice for them," said the Vice President, addressing the inaugural session of the 1st Regional Conference on 'Access to Legal Aid: Strengthening Access to Justice in the Global South' held at the Supreme Court of India.

"Let's strive for a world where justice is a fundamental right accessible to all, regardless of background, circumstances, or location," Dhankhar remarked.

Nations that are regarded as having a relatively low level of economic and industrial development are referred to as the Global South.

Speaking of the Global South, the subject of the conference, Dhankhar noted that there was a time when countries, including India, used to look to other countries, particularly those in the north, to set agendas.
"Now, Bharat has emerged as the agenda-setter at a global level," Dhankhar.

Notably, the African Union, a considerable chunk of the Global South, has been given G20 membership during India's presidency.

Dhankhar termed the African Union's inclusion in the G20 "remarkable and very equitable."
"We have a deep emotive connection as a nation with the nations of the Global South, culturally and otherwise. The negative aspects of colonial rule bind us together; we have suffered through the ages, and we have to mitigate this suffering by learning from each other," the vice president said.

"Just a few years ago, no one was even aware of the term 'Global South.' It took a lot for India's Prime Minister to bring it to the central stage, to position it in a forum primarily dominated by developed countries."
"India's civilizational ethos, deeply rooted in the concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'--'One Earth. One Family. One Planet,' has shaped its foreign policy and interactions with the Global South. India has consistently taken a stand as a torchbearer and crusader for the rights and aspirations of all nations, particularly the young and newly independent countries of the Global South."

Once again, reiterating that access to legal aid and the justice system is quintessential to nurturing and blossoming fundamental human values and fostering equitable societies, the vice president said the evolution of such an ecosystem will contribute to the nurturing of global order and the welfare of humanity.

(ANI)
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