Mukti continued to strengthen its global engagement by actively participating in the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 7–16 July 2026. Representing Mukti, Sankar Halder, Founder & President, and Satyajit Roy, Secretary, participated in the Forum on 7th July, 13th July, and 14th July 2026, attending official country presentations, thematic discussions, and interactive sessions with government representatives, UN officials, development practitioners, and civil society leaders from across the world.
The participation provided Mukti with an excellent opportunity to understand how countries are accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while also sharing grassroots experiences from India, particularly from the climate-vulnerable Sundarbans.
During the Forum, national delegations, including Senegal and Italy, presented their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), highlighting progress, challenges, and innovative approaches towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Senegal showcased remarkable achievements in sustainable transport, climate action, food security, rural development, water resource management, and institutional reforms. The country highlighted significant investments in sustainable mobility, improved connectivity, environmental protection, agricultural transformation, and community-centred development. Senegal also emphasized stronger partnerships and integrated governance as essential drivers for accelerating sustainable development.
Italy focused on the importance of integrated governance, culture as a catalyst for sustainable development, youth participation, policy coherence, multi-level collaboration, and international partnerships. The Italian delegation emphasized that effective implementation of the SDGs requires stronger legal and institutional frameworks, innovation, active participation of younger generations, and coordinated action among governments, communities, and civil society.
Another participating country presented its whole-of-government approach to sustainable development, demonstrating how integrated policy frameworks, science, innovation, research, and partnerships with the United Nations are being leveraged to advance food security, healthcare, education, water and sanitation, decent work, and peace-building across partner countries.
Across all the country presentations, one message emerged consistently: achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires integrated, people-centred, and partnership-driven approaches rather than isolated interventions. Governments increasingly recognize that sustainable development depends upon strong local institutions, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, quality education, accessible healthcare, environmental conservation, digital innovation, gender equality, and active citizen participation.
These priorities closely resonate with Mukti’s philosophy of integrated rural development.
For more than two decades, Mukti has been implementing a comprehensive community development model across the Sundarbans and other vulnerable regions of West Bengal. Through its HEALER AID framework, Mukti addresses multiple dimensions of sustainable development, including healthcare, education, sustainable agriculture, livelihood generation, environmental resilience, disaster preparedness, women’s empowerment, human rights awareness, renewable energy, and integrated community development. Over the years, these initiatives have positively impacted more than one million people, creating resilient communities while contributing directly to several Sustainable Development Goals.
Mukti’s Sustainable Agriculture Movement promotes organic farming, climate-resilient agriculture, water conservation, soil restoration, farmer capacity building, and improved market access through initiatives such as Mukti Fresh. These efforts contribute significantly to food security, sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and rural economic development—areas that featured prominently in several HLPF discussions.
Similarly, Mukti’s work in education, digital inclusion, healthcare, women-led Self Help Groups, child development, disaster risk reduction, mangrove restoration, renewable energy promotion, and community participation demonstrates how local grassroots initiatives can successfully contribute to achieving global development objectives. The organisation has also aligned its programmes with the Sustainable Development Goals, reinforcing its commitment to the 2030 Agenda.
During the sessions held on 7th, 13th, and 14th July, Mukti representatives actively interacted with delegates, UN officials, development experts, and representatives of civil society organisations from different countries. These exchanges provided valuable opportunities to share Mukti’s grassroots experiences, learn from successful international practices, and explore future collaborations in areas such as climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, integrated rural development, youth engagement, and community-led innovation.
The discussions reaffirmed Mukti’s long-held belief that sustainable development cannot be achieved through economic growth alone. True development must improve people’s quality of life, ensure access to quality education and healthcare, strengthen environmental sustainability, empower women and youth, and build resilient communities capable of facing future challenges.
Mukti is grateful for the opportunity to participate in these important global discussions and to exchange ideas with fellow delegates, government representatives, UN officials, and development practitioners from around the world. Such engagements strengthen Mukti’s resolve to continue building partnerships and bringing global knowledge to local action.
As the world works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, Mukti remains committed to translating global commitments into meaningful grassroots action. The organisation firmly believes that sustainable development begins within communities and that lasting change can only be achieved through inclusive participation, innovation, strong partnerships, and collective responsibility.
Mukti’s participation in the United Nations High-level Political Forum 2026 once again reflects the organisation’s growing international engagement and its unwavering commitment to building a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future for all.