The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: India was one among only four countries to abstain from a UN General Assembly resolution declaring an “International Day of Hope” last week, a measure opposed by the US on the grounds that it promotes diversity and inclusivity.
The resolution was adopted with 161 votes in favour and only one against – the US.
Even Washington’s close allies, including Israel and Hungary, supported the measure, which urged the international community to “promote well-being in order to amplify hope and enhance peace, tolerance and social stability, respect for diversity and mutual respect.”
It declared that July 12 should be the International Day of Hope.
India abstained alongside Turkey, Peru and Paraguay on the resolution introduced by Bahrain and Kiribati.
Since there was no explanation of the vote presented by India, it is not clear for what reason India abstained from the resolution.
The text of the resolution also does not have any particular red flags that could have induced India to not vote in its favour.
Reflecting the Trump administration’s unilateral stance in multilateral forums, the US defended its opposition by stating that the resolution “contains references to diversity, equity and inclusion that conflict with US policies aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all.”
The US representative further criticised the resolution for contributing to the “unnecessary proliferation” of international observances, many of which, he claimed, have overlapping objectives.
At the same time, his statement acknowledged that there were no direct financial implications for the UN and that any costs would be voluntary for member states.
“We recognise that any costs arising from implementation would be voluntary. However, in a world facing numerous challenges, funding and efforts should be directed toward critical causes and crises rather than the establishment of additional international days. For these reasons, the United States cannot join consensus on the current resolution and has called for a vote, in which we have voted no,” he stated.
India’s abstention stood out not only due to the relatively uncontroversial nature of the resolution but also because it diverged from its broader voting pattern on the day.
On March 4, the UN General Assembly considered seven resolutions, typically adopted by consensus without a vote. However, the US forced votes on four of them and opposed each one.
India abstained only on the resolution declaring July 12 as the International Day of Hope but voted in favour of the other three – designating July 25 as the International Day of Judicial Well-being, February 28 as the International Day of Peaceful Co-Existence and urging states to invest in quality education to strengthen democracy.
The US objected to the International Day of Judicial Well-being, arguing that it promoted the “internationalisation of the self-care movement”.
It also opposed the International Day of Peaceful Co-Existence, claiming that the phrase was associated with China’s promotion of the ‘five principles’.
On the resolution advocating investments in education, the US cited the inclusion of terms like misinformation and disinformation, calling them an “unequivocal red line”.
The three resolutions that the US did not challenge on March 4 related to the establishment of a United Nations Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan, an agreement for conservation and the sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and to hold a special UN General Assembly meeting to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II.