File Photo: External Affiars Minister Sushma Swaraj (Press Trust of India)
Expressing concern over economic inequality across the developing world, Union Minister Sushma Swaraj today said globalisation can "severely disorient" societies unless properly managed by countries at the domestic level.
"Inequalities of income have widened across the developing economies and pose a major challenge to their social fabric. Unless it is managed by states in individual economies globalisation can produce such outcomes that will severely disorient societies and states themselves," Ms Swaraj said.
The External Affairs Minister made the remarks at the 'Samvad- Global Hindu Buddhist' conclave on Conflict Avoidance and Environment Consciousness organised by the Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi.
Stating that the world was facing an "alarming situation", Ms Swaraj underlined a "disconnect" in the development paradigm leading to nature being viewed from an "instrumental" point of view.
"Consciously or unconsciously over the years a kind of disconnect has emerged across our development theories where nature is seen more as a factor of production rather than an asset.
"At different points these theories and frameworks have been dismissive of nature as having only instrumental purpose...today we are facing an alarming situation," she said.
Women generally end up absorbing most of the consequences of these developmental challenges and their security becomes the "first casualty", Ms Swaraj said.
"In urbanising India the story is not very different. Several studies in urban India show level of pesticide content in mother's milk is much higher than that of cow's milk... Challenges in the developed countries are similar," she said.
Ms Swaraj pinned disconnect with "culture" as being one of the major factors behind deterioration of environmental quality. "Because caring for the environment is and has always been an intrinsic part of our cultural values."
"Soon the global community will be endorsing post 2015 global agendas, Sustainable Development Goals. This testifies our collective commitment in bringing back culture to our development landscape. Goal 16 recognises that sustainable development, democracy, and peace are indivisible," she said.
Ms Swaraj also called for a "fresh movement for spiritualising humankind" to rejuvenate its commitments to the fundamentals of compassion, consideration and the idea of peaceful coexistence.