PRESS RELEASE
UNITED NATIONS, New York, 11 July 2025 - The laureate of the fortieth edition of the United Nations Population Award in the individual category is Ms. Varsha Deshpande, Secretary, Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal of India.
Ms. Varsha Deshpande is a pioneering women's rights activist with more than 35 years of experience working on gender-based violence, discrimination and gender. She founded the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal in 1990 to advance women's rights and gender justice. She tirelessly works to empower grassroots women by building their vocational skills, connecting them to vital resources and services, and fostering their financial independence. She has also played a pivotal role in addressing gender-biased sex selection (GBSS), championing legal reforms and behaviour change through community engagement and advocacy.
At the helm of Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal, Ms. Deshpande has spearheaded numerous programmes, including ones addressing child marriage through the empowerment of adolescent girls and engagement with men and boys; safeguarding the rights of women in the informal sector; and promoting joint property registration to boost women's access to assets. She is a respected member of several statutory bodies constituted under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, the law to address gender-biased sex selection, and has played an instrumental role in strengthening its implementation.
Ms. Deshpande said: "I am deeply honored to receive the prestigious UN Population Award in recognition of my efforts to address gender-biased sex selection and the declining sex ratio. This award is not a personal accolade, but a tribute to the collective work of countless individuals and institutions who engage with communities to drive meaningful change and empower them. I sincerely hope this recognition helps renew focus on the critical issue of gender-biased sex selection and reinforces the importance of investing in the value of women and girls. Being counted among those who have made significant global contributions is both humbling and inspiring. It deepens my sense of responsibility to live up to this honor and to uphold the trust placed in me."
Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative and Country Director Bhutan, said: "Varsha’s pioneering efforts to build a more equal society are truly commendable. Her dedication to addressing all forms of discrimination—whether based on gender, caste, or religion—have contributed significantly to ensuring that people, especially women and girls can live with dignity, opportunity, and well-being. I deeply appreciate her passion and commend her courage for working on a sensitive and critical issue like gender-biased sex selection."
This recognition affirms the power of grassroots action in advancing gender equality and reproductive rights, and reflects the global importance of Ms. Deshpande’s lifelong work.
About the UN Population Award
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award honors an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health issues and solutions. The Award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983. It is now in its fortieth year. It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize. The Committee for the United Nations Population Award is composed of a quorum of 8 UN Member States, with United Nations Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director serving as ex-officio members. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year. UNFPA serves as its Secretariat
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About UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
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