Mukti Participates in UN “Beyond GDP” Dialogue at the Goals Lounge during HLPF 2026

On 13 July 2026, Sankar Halder, Founder & President of Mukti, and Satyajit Roy, Secretary of Mukti, participated in the high-level panel discussion “Beyond GDP: Moving from Analysis to Impact” at the Goals Lounge during the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.

The session brought together policymakers, UN officials, economists, researchers, civil society representatives, and delegates from across the world to discuss how countries can move beyond measuring progress solely through economic growth and adopt a more comprehensive approach to sustainable development.

The central idea behind the Beyond GDP initiative is that while Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains an important measure of a country’s economic performance, it does not fully reflect the true progress of society. Human development cannot be measured by economic growth alone. A nation’s progress should also be assessed by how people actually live—their physical and mental health, quality of education, safety, equality, environmental conditions, resilience to climate change, access to opportunities, and overall well-being and happiness. The Beyond GDP framework therefore seeks to complement traditional economic indicators with broader measures that place people and the planet at the heart of development, enabling governments to design policies that improve the quality of life for present and future generations.

The discussion highlighted the growing global consensus that GDP alone is not sufficient to measure a nation’s progress. Speakers emphasized the need for complementary indicators that capture people’s well-being, social equity, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, natural capital, and quality of life. The panel also explored how governments are beginning to integrate these broader measures into policymaking, budgeting, and national planning, while the United Nations has launched an inclusive global consultation process to develop a practical Beyond GDP framework that will help shape the future international development agenda beyond 2030.

Mukti is grateful for the opportunity to exchange views with fellow participants and delegates from across the globe. During the event, Sankar Halder and Satyajit Roy actively interacted with representatives from various countries, including UN officials, and shared Mukti’s grassroots experiences in promoting sustainable development, climate resilience, community empowerment, education, women’s empowerment, disaster preparedness, and environmental conservation in the Sundarbans.

These meaningful interactions and new connections further strengthened opportunities to showcase Mukti’s community-led development model on the global stage and to foster future collaboration with international organizations, governments, research institutions, and development partners. Mukti’s participation reaffirmed its commitment to contributing grassroots knowledge and practical solutions to global discussions on sustainable development and the evolving Beyond GDP agenda, ensuring that development is measured not only by economic prosperity but also by the well-being of people and the health of the planet.

https://muktiweb.org/gallery/album/mukti-participates-in-un-beyond-gdp-dialogue-at-the-goals-lounge-during-hlpf-2026