HYDERABAD: Panama’s Minister for Women’s Affairs María Alejandra Panay called for better pay equity, improved digital access, and greater representation of women in science and leadership.
Highlighting the systemic inequalities faced by women in Latin America, she said: “One in three women experience sexual harassment. And many indigenous, migrant and young women remain invisible in mainstream policymaking.”
On Friday, leaders from various countries attended a panel discussion on Justice and a Feminist Future, under the theme “Delivering Global Justice” at the Bharat Summit 2025.
Congress MP Praniti Shinde spoke on the need for structural reform in implementing inclusivity, particularly concerning the LGBTQ+ community. Citing Telangana’s Mythri scheme, which supports transpersons in law enforcement roles, she stated, “We need less talk and more action. Inclusion must be visible in employment, budgeting, and governance.”
Former Union minister MM Pallam Raju referred to policy frameworks such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Education Act and the Mahalakshmi scheme, which offers free bus travel for women in Telangana.
He said education and mobility play a vital role in community upliftment. “When a woman in a family is educated, the whole family gets educated,” he said, noting the wider impact of women’s empowerment on social and economic development.
Former Union minister Salman Khurshid advocated tax incentives to increase women’s employment and questioned the underrepresentation of women in heavy industries such as infrastructure. “Women must be part of every sector. The answer is not just the right laws—but the right mindset—and the right men who stand for this cause,” he said.
Former Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde spoke of the challenges in Europe, particularly declining birth rates and structural disincentives for working women. She called for tax policy reforms and stressed the urgent need for universal childcare. “If families cannot combine work and parenting, gender equality will remain out of reach,” she said, adding that any backlash against feminism must be firmly countered.
The session was attended by Rabia Abdallah, senior leader from Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM); Monica Fein, a Socialist Party politician from Argentina; Hamid Maysoon; Wael Alatoom; and Undram Chinbat, an MP from Mongolia.
Rahul, Kharge in Kashmir, summit plenary postponed
The Bharat Summit-2025 commenced in Hyderabad on Friday with delegates from various countries participating in the discussions on a range of current issues. However, the plenary session was postponed to Saturday as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi travelled to Srinagar to meet those injured in the Pahalgam terrorist attack.Kharge and Rahul were expected to deliver the keynote addresses.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was also absent due to the rescheduling of the plenary session. The inaugural day included panel discussions on topics such as Gender Justice and a Feminist Future, Fact vs Fiction: Countering Disinformation, Youth and Politics of Tomorrow, and Shaping New Multilateralism. Speakers — leaders, policymakers and experts across various sectors — on each panel shared their respective views during the sessions.
Organisers, including Congress leaders and state government officials, welcomed the participants at the start of the summit. AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, several ministers, MPs and MLAs were present at the summit on the first day. Saturday’s agenda includes panel discussions on Overcoming Polarisation with Pluralism, Diversity and Respect, Accelerating Climate Justice, Economic Justice in Uncertain Times, and Peace and Justice in a Multipolar World. The summit will conclude with a valedictory session, following which delegates are expected to visit the Indira Mahila Shakti Bazaar at Shilparamam.
‘Youth gravitating towards far right a disturbing trend’
During a panel discussion on “Youth and the Politics of Tomorrow”, organised as part of Bharat Summit, young political leaders, scholars and activists from across the world tackled some of the most pressing issues facing global youth today: climate change, inequality, political polarisation and civic disengagement.
The session featured participants from India, New Zealand, Latin American and several other countries, each bringing their own unique perspectives shaped by their cultural and political landscapes. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MP G Vamshi Krishna, MLC Balmoor Venkat, NSUI president Varun Choudhary, New Zealand MP Arena Williams, Liinesh Selluandan, Maina Hay, James Steve Serrano and Jesus Tapia participated in the panel discussion.
Panelists expressed serious concern over about growing political polarisation, particularly among youth. “There’s a disturbing trend of young boys gravitating toward the far right, fuelled by social media algorithms that reward sensationalism over substance,” said the New Zealand MP Arena Williams. This phenomenon, she noted, is reshaping democratic discourse and influencing voting behaviour in dangerous ways.
Answering a question on nepotism in politics, minister Ponnam Prabhakar stated that there were many leaders like him who have come from grassroots without any backing. He said that youth should take part in the parliamentary proceedings. The discussion concluded with a strong consensus: young people are not just stakeholders in future policies -- they are essential participants in shaping them now.