In a significant ceremony held in New Delhi, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was bestowed with the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2024. The award was presented by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, highlighting Bachelet's global contributions to human rights and gender equality.
A Legacy of Human Rights Advocacy
Michelle Bachelet, a two-term President of Chile and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has a long and distinguished career in public service. During her tenure at the UN, Bachelet was openly critical of certain Indian laws, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). In 2020, she voiced concerns, stating that activists and human rights defenders faced mounting pressure during the protests against the CAA in 2019-20.
She also expressed regret over the legal constraints faced by non-governmental organizations in India, specifically citing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Bachelet remarked that the act was open to abuse and was being used to deter NGOs involved in human rights reporting that authorities perceived as critical.
Parallels Between Two Leaders
During the award ceremony on November 20, 2025, Sonia Gandhi drew poignant parallels between the life journeys of Indira Gandhi and Michelle Bachelet. She noted that both women were born and raised in times of strife and were victims of subjugation. Gandhi emphasized that Bachelet's influence extended far beyond Chile and Latin America, particularly through her roles as the first Director of the UN Women Agency and later as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Bachelet's personal history is marked by tragedy; her father, Air Force Brigadier General Alberto Bachelet, died in prison after opposing Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 military coup. This early experience with loss and oppression shaped her commitment to human rights.
Chilean Reforms and Global Impact
In her acceptance speech, Bachelet paid tribute to Indira Gandhi, stating that she believed nations could prosper only if they lived in harmony. Bachelet also praised India as a country of extraordinary cultural richness, profound history, and vibrant diversity.
Reflecting on her own legacy in Chile, Bachelet is credited with pioneering education and tax reforms. Her tenure saw the creation of the National Institute for Human Rights, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, and the establishment of the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality. She also championed policies to increase women's political participation through quotas and worked towards advancing LGBT rights.
Sonia Gandhi concluded by reiterating that the Indira Gandhi Prize was instituted in 1985 in memory of one of the most extraordinary women leaders of our time, a description that now also aptly fits the 2024 laureate, Michelle Bachelet.
