The lack of fit between the democratic ideals of equality and social justice and the social reality of inequality and deprivation continues to haunt most societies. All Western states, for example, are committed to the principles of equality, social justice and human rights. However, racism, xenophobia and discrimination and exclusion of minority groups and immigrants are widely prevalent in Western societies.

Two aspects of the evident dissonance and tension between constitutional ideals and social realities are note-worthy. First, laws, policies and procedures in many countries betray bias and discrimination against minority groups and other disadvantaged sections of society. Britain and Denmark, for example, have anti-blasphemy laws which are applicable only to Christianity but not to other religions. In Denmark, both the Conservative Party and Liberal Party opposed a parliamentary move to modify the anti-blasphemy law to make it applicable to other religions.

According to the constitution of Israel, Arab residents of the West Bank and Gaza who marry Israeli women are not eligible for Israeli citizenship, residency or work permits. Two human rights groups in Israel filed a petition in the country's Supreme Court for overturning this law, which was rejected.

Second, in many countries there exists a wide gap between constitutionally enshrined ideals of equality and justice and the reality of racism, discrimination and exclusion experienced by minority groups and other marginalised sections of society. The 2004 report of the Vienna-based European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia pointed out that some European countries are either too slow to enact anti-racism legislation or take measures which in effect curtail the rights of minority groups and immigrants (http://www.eumc.eu.int).

The wide prevalence of racism and xenophobia and the stigmatization and exclusion of minority groups and immigrants in large parts of Europe are reflected in the growing incidents of anti-Semitism, in the continued marginalization of national minorities (such as the Gypsies in Eastern Europe, the Basque, Catalans and Galicians in Spain, the Corsicans and Bretons in France, the Flemish in Belgium, and Muslims in the Russian Federation), and in the discrimination and exclusion of immigrants. A recent report of Amnesty International points out that attacks on Jews, particularly on synagogues, cemeteries and schools, have sharply risen in recent years, especially in France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain.

In the UK, legislation against discrimination on grounds of race was passed nearly half a century ago. However, racial discrimination continues to be prevalent across the country. A recent report of the Commission for Racial Equality (now rechristened as Equality and Human Rights Commission) points out that racial discrimination is still a reality in the country and that Britain continues to remain a place of "inequality, exclusion and isolation". The report warns that continuing discrimination and marginalization might lead some people from the minority communities to follow the path of religious and political extremism.

In the UK, legislation against discrimination on grounds of race was passed nearly half a century ago. However, racial discrimination continues to be prevalent across the country. A recent report of the Commission for Racial Equality (now rechristened as Equality and Human Rights Commission) points out that racial discrimination is still a reality in the country and that Britain continues to remain a place of "inequality, exclusion and isolation". The report warns that continuing discrimination and marginalization might lead some people from the minority communities to follow the path of religious and political extremism.

France ostensibly swears by the republican ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. According to the principle of laicite (the French version of secularism), which provides the corner-stone of state policy, all French citizens are to be treated as equal regardless of the distinctions of race, ethnicity or religion. In reality, however, French society is highly differentiated in terms of race, class, religion and ethnicity. Large numbers of immigrants of North African origin (including their descendants born and raised in the country), Jews and national minorities continue to experience widespread discrimination and stigmatization, especially in respect of housing, education and employment. The immigrant-dominated suburbs (banlieues) are characterized by high unemployment rate (20 to 30% as compared to the national average of 10%), deprivation, crime and drugs. A study at the University of Paris found that French citizens of North African origin are seven times less likely to receive a positive response from employers for job applications. Faced with this frustrating situation, some of them are forced to change their names and to conceal their addresses for fear that this might jeopardize their chances of getting a job. Many of them say that in France liberty undoubtedly exists but not equality and fraternity. French TV has no non-white presenters and all MPs from mainland France are white. The vandalism and rioting by French youth of North African origin on the streets of Paris in November 2005 exposed the fragility of the French system.

Post-independence India: A balance sheet

India celebrated the 60th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2007. An anniversary provides an occasion for celebration as well as an opportunity to take stock of past accomplishments and failures and to set future goals. These six decades are marked by a mixture of remarkable and wide-ranging development, lost opportunities and unfulfilled promises.

On the eve of independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of the country, in his famous 'tryst with destiny' speech, had made a solemn declaration.

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge……The achievement we celebrate today is but a stop, an opening of opportunity to the great triumphs and achievements that await us…..The task ahead includes the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity…..

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge……The achievement we celebrate today is but a stop, an opening of opportunity to the great triumphs and achievements that await us…..The task ahead includes the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity…..

It is pertinent to ask, after six decades of India's independence, whether the nation has redeemed this pledge. India has done reasonably well in the following areas: sustaining a democratic polity, political stability, economic growth, the management of ethnic, religious and cultural diversities within the framework of a relatively cohesive nation-state, an independent judiciary, self-sufficiency in food grains and milk, information and communication technology, and the preservation of the country's rich architectural and cultural heritage.

During the past five years, India's economic and financial integration with the global market has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. The country's foreign reserves have risen to over an enviable $200 billion and raised annual economic growth from around 4% in the four decades before the early 1990s-when the process of wide-ranging economic reforms and liberalization started-to more than 9% in 2007. It is poised to maintain an annual growth rate of around 7-8% in the coming years. Foreign direct investment has grown from about $100 million in the early 1990s to about $16 billion today. As a result of extensive economic reforms, the balance of payments has turned into a surplus of almost $50 billion. Perhaps the most striking development has taken place in telecommunications. Today there are more mobile phones in the country than landline phones, with 220 million subscribers and seven million more being added each month. India is today one of the world's fastest growing economies. On a purchasing power party basis, India is today the fourth largest economy in the world after the US, China and Japan. It is on the verge of overtaking Japan to become the third largest economy in the world. It is estimated that India will overtake the US in about 2050, as measured in dollar terms. Per capita income in the country, which was Rs. 255 in 1947, rose to Rs. 29,382 in 2007. It is estimated that India's per capita income will increase to 35 times the present level by 2050. According to Goldman Sach's BRIC Report-which provides comparative economic projections in respect of Brazil, Russia, India and China-India is the only BRIC economy which will sustain an average of above 5% growth rate through the next 45 years. The country is thus speedily moving in the direction of sustainable growth.

India's high and sustainable economic growth has significantly impacted the human development index. According to World Bank data, India's poverty rate (the proportion of population living below $1 a day in PPP terms) dropped from 45% (413 million) in 1994 to 34.3% (371 million) in 2004. The spectre of famine, which used to frequently haunt the country in the early years of independence, has been banished. Epidemics like plague, small pox, measles, whooping cough and cholera, which used to take a heavy toll of human life in the early decades of independence, have been brought under control. The infant mortality rate has been drastically reduced to 67 per 1000 compared to 146 in 1960 and 204 during 1911-1915, thanks to better maternal and child health programmes. Life expectancy at birth is now 64 years compared to 31 in 1947.

The Indian economy is undoubtedly surging. India is now among the world's fastest growing consumer markets. However, this is only part of the story. More than 30% of the country's population still live below the poverty line. More than one third of children, especially in the rural areas, suffer from malnutrition. Infant mortality, though substantially reduced in recent years, is still one of the highest in the world. Nearly half of the female population in the country are illiterate. Though Article 21 of the constitution makes free and compulsory education a fundamental right, this principle is yet to be translated into reality. More than a third of the country's children do not attend school. Gender bias and insensitivity are widespread in large parts of the country. In some parts of northern and western India the sex ratio has become highly imbalanced as a result of the neglect of the girl child and female foeticide.

Income disparities and the gap between the rich and the poor are steadily widening. The goal of equality of opportunity, enshrined in the constitution, remains a distant dream for millions of people. The fruits of development and progress are beyond the reach of large numbers of people in the country. According to World Bank estimates, income and consumption inequality (as measured by the Gini Index) increased from 27.7% in 1994 to 30.5% in rural areas and from 33.3% to 37.6% in urban areas in 2004. A key source of wealth accretion is the equity market. According to the Securities Exchange Board of India, only 4.7% of the country's population own equities.

Income disparities and the gap between the rich and the poor are steadily widening. The goal of equality of opportunity, enshrined in the constitution, remains a distant dream for millions of people. The fruits of development and progress are beyond the reach of large numbers of people in the country. According to World Bank estimates, income and consumption inequality (as measured by the Gini Index) increased from 27.7% in 1994 to 30.5% in rural areas and from 33.3% to 37.6% in urban areas in 2004.

Human development deficit

A UNESCO report points out that throughout South Asia there is a huge disparity between impressive economic growth and dismal performance in respect of human development indicators. A recently released report by the UN and Asian Development Bank points out that India is lagging behind in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, in achieving universal primary education, in promoting gender equality, in reducing maternal and infant mortality, and in combating malaria and other diseases. Expenditure on public health in the country is about 1% of the GDP, one of the lowest in the world. India ranks a lowly 126th in the UN Human Development Index.

The extent of malnutrition and under-nourishment is much greater in India than in sub-Saharan Africa, despite the country's impressive economic growth in recent years and self-sufficiency in food production. About 3% of the population-more than 30 million people in absolute numbers-experience hunger frequently or at some point of time during the year. In the Global Hunger Index, India ranks 96th among 119 countries in respect of food insecurity and malnourishment and 117th in respect of underweight children, slightly better than Bangladesh and Nepal. A recent survey of the Health Ministry conducted in 2007 found that 56% of women and 79% of children below three years are anaemic. According to the 2001 census, 62% of families in the country (118 million households) do not get drinking water at home. About five million families, mostly in the rural areas, have to fetch drinking water from ponds, tanks, rivers and springs.

South Asia has the highest incidence of annual maternal deaths in the world. Every year around 188,000 women die from complications in pregnancy and child birth. The region's high maternal mortality rates account for almost half of all maternal deaths worldwide. In South Asia, India has the largest number of annual maternal deaths (117,000 or 540 per 100,000 live births), followed by Afghanistan (26,000), Bangladesh (21,000) and Pakistan (15,000). A report 'State of the World's Mothers,' which documents the condition of mothers in 146 countries, was recently brought out by the American-based humanitarian organization Save the Children. The report says that in India, one in 70 women face a lifetime risk of dying during childbirth, as compared to one in 1300 women in China, one in 290 in Latin America, and one in 7,300 in the developed countries. The report found that over 53% of births in the country are not attended by skilled health personnel.

According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the number of malnourished children is greater in India than in sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 46% of children under the age of three in the country are under-nourished, compared to 35% in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly half of all children in India are chronically under-nourished.

According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the number of malnourished children is greater in India than in sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 46% of children under the age of three in the country are under-nourished, compared to 35% in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly half of all children in India are chronically under-nourished.

India has one of the highest infant mortality rates and one of the lowest life expectancy at birth. The high infant mortality rate in the country reflects the deplorable state of public health care system, poor quality of water, inadequate medical attention during pregnancy and at birth, poor post-natal care, and poor immunization and sanitation facilities. More than 58% of children aged 12-23 months are without immunization.

The report 'State of the World's Mothers' says that over 53% of children in India aged under five years (numbering about 67 million) live without basic health care facilities. India accounts for about one-third of all children aged below five who have no access to basic health care. These children (together with those in Brazil and Egypt) are three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than other children in the world. The report points out that girls in India are 61% more likely than boys to die between the ages of one and five years. India has the world's largest gender survival gap. While India has cut its overall child mortality rate by about 34% since 1990, the survival gap between boys and girls has widened, the report says. The main reason for this gap is inequality of health care for female and male children. Girls are often brought to health care centres in more advanced state of ill-health than boys and taken to less qualified doctors when ill.

India's diversity and the equality deficit

India is the seventh largest nation in the world in terms of area, comprising 2.2% of the earth's surface, and the second most populous country where 15.7% of the global population resides.

India is perhaps the most culturally diverse country in the world. This diversity, which has been a distinctive feature of the Indian subcontinent for the past two millennia, is reflected in the multiplicity of religious traditions, in the ethnic and social composition of the population, in linguistic heterogeneity, in folklore, in regional distinctions, and in the incredible variations in customs and cultural patterns. According to the People of India Project, there are 325 community-specific languages and dialects in the country, which belong to five language families. These languages are written in 25 different scripts. There are as many as 2,795 communities and about 80,000 segments with their respective titles and surnames.

It is fair to expect that, in a democratic polity, the country's ubiquitous diversity should be reflected in all sectors of national life and that all groups and communities in the country should have equal, unhampered access to existing resources and opportunities. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the country. Large numbers of people, especially in the countryside, are groaning under the oppressive weight of poverty, malnutrition, deprivation and economic hardships. Women, tribals, scheduled castes, nomadic communities and large sections of minority groups appear to be particularly vulnerable.

A whole set of factors are responsible for the wide inequalities in respect of access to available resources and opportunities that are prevalent in the country.

• Poverty, economic marginalization and illiteracy
• The insidious effects of the caste system which is inherently inegalitarian
• Lack of awareness about schemes and programmes launched by the government for the empowerment and welfare of marginalised groups
• Inadequate efforts by the government to disseminate information about such schemes among target groups
• Covert and overt bias and discrimination on the part of government, bureaucracy and law-enforcement agencies
• Absence of consensus among political parties on the agenda and methodology for ensuring equality of opportunity
• Gap between promises and fulfilment on the part of the government and the political leadership
• Opportunism and insincerity of political leadership in beneficiary groups
• Inadequacy of education and professional competence among target groups
• Inadequate initiatives for self-help, self-reliance and community mobilization among beneficiary groups
• Inadequate initiatives by the media, NGOs and human rights groups to disseminate awareness about welfare schemes and to motivate the target groups to avail of them

National Commission for Equal Opportunity

Equality of opportunity essentially signifies that every individual and all segments of society must have equal, undiluted and unhampered access to the existing avenues of well-being and betterment and that no citizen should experience discrimination, deprivation or exclusion on grounds of ethnicity, religion, caste or class.

Nearly all countries are committed to the goals of equality, justice and human rights. Many countries have established legal institutions or instruments to combat obstacles, such as bias and discrimination in respect of education, employment and housing, to the attainment of these ideals. There is, for example, the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the UK while the US has the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Netherlands has set up, for the same purpose, Committee for Equal Treatment while Australia has Equal Opportunity Commission. The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's cabinet has a minister for equal opportunities.

Nearly all countries are committed to the goals of equality, justice and human rights. Many countries have established legal institutions or instruments to combat obstacles, such as bias and discrimination in respect of education, employment and housing, to the attainment of these ideals. There is, for example, the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the UK while the US has the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Netherlands has set up, for the same purpose, Committee for Equal Treatment while Australia has Equal Opportunity Commission. The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's cabinet has a minister for equal opportunities.

In some educational institutions in the US, equal opportunity is looked upon as an instrument of affirmative action. The Colorado State University, for example, has an Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity to ensure that students from different ethnic and religious backgrounds face no discrimination in respect of enrolment, accommodation, fellowships and other facilities offered by the university.

The suggestion to establish a Commission for Equal Opportunity in India was first mooted by Lord Bhikhu Parekh in 2000 and then by the present writer in 2001. The Justice Sachar Committee Report (2006) has also recommended the establishment of such a Commission for the purpose of redressing the grievances of deprived groups.

The Commission for Equal Opportunity in India, as proposed and outlined in this essay, has a wider scope as compared to similar institutions or instruments in other countries. It has to have wide statutory powers in order to be effective. It can serve as an instrument of affirmative action. The main task of the Commission is to ensure that the constitutional ideals of equality, social justice and fundamental rights are translated into reality, to reassure every citizen of the country that the state and the wider society have a firm, unwavering commitment to these ideals, and that a wilful violation of these ideals will be sternly dealt with. It should act as a monitoring agency for ensuring compliance with the constitutional provisions of equality, non-discrimination, social justice and fundamental rights by the institutions of the state, the public sector, corporations, educational institutions and other sectors of national life. It can serve as an apex agency for the redress of grievances related to discrimination on grounds of religion, ethnicity or caste.

The Commission should have wide-ranging functions. It may, for example, recommend to the Central and state governments the enactment of laws and procedures (or the revision of existing legislation) that impede equal access to opportunities or leave room for bias and discrimination or curtail the fundamental rights of individuals, groups and communities. The Commission should also scrutinize and monitor procedures for recruitment and nomination in the public and private sectors.

A relevant example in this connection relates to restrictions on the abuse or misuse of freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution. Hate speech and the demonization of minority groups and other vulnerable sections of society not only violate their fundamental rights but also hamper the implementation of diversity-related policy initiatives.

On May 5, 2007 the Supreme Court of India ruled that no person can take undue advantage of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression to indulge in 'malicious criticism' of other faiths. Upholding the government's power to confiscate books which contain references that can spark violence, the Court observed that no person has the right to hurt the feelings of others on the premise that his/her right to freedom of speech should be unrestricted and unfettered. The Court observed: "It cannot be ignored that India is a country with vast disparities in language, culture and religion, and unwarranted and malicious criticism or interference in the faiths of others cannot be accepted." The learned judges pointed out that there was no doubt that freedom of speech and expression was an important right and should be available to all. At the same time, while exercising the right, one should be careful not to hurt others' feelings.

It is regrettable that some individuals, organizations and political parties often indulge in irresponsible and insensitive utterances which offend the sensibilities of minority groups. In spite of the existence of appropriate legal provisions, such persons and groups are rarely taken to task or prosecuted, largely due to the partiality, connivance and inefficiency of the local administration. Quite often, individuals and groups from amongst Dalits, tribals and minority communities experience discrimination and exclusion on grounds of religion, caste and ethnicity. The Commission for Equal Opportunity can serve as an effective instrument for dealing with such incidents.

It is regrettable that some individuals, organizations and political parties often indulge in irresponsible and insensitive utterances which offend the sensibilities of minority groups. In spite of the existence of appropriate legal provisions, such persons and groups are rarely taken to task or prosecuted, largely due to the partiality, connivance and inefficiency of the local administration. Quite often, individuals and groups from amongst Dalits, tribals and minority communities experience discrimination and exclusion on grounds of religion, caste and ethnicity. The Commission for Equal Opportunity can serve as an effective instrument for dealing with such incidents.

The Commission can also profitably draw on the experiences of other countries in this matter. In South Africa, a series of 'transformation bills' passed in 2000 have outlawed hate speech and public vilification of groups and communities and established a number of equality courts to deal with complaints of racial discrimination.

Britain has recently passed a legislation, known as Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, which applies to intentional acts of threatening words or behaviour and the display, publication, broadcast or distribution of threatening materials that is likely to stir up racial or religious hatred.

Geert Wilders, leader of the Netherlands' far-right party (which has nine seats in the Dutch parliament), makes no secret of his hatred for immigrants, especially Muslims. He has carried out a vicious campaign against the Quran, comparing it to Hitler's Mein Kampf, claiming that the Quran is incompatible with Dutch values, and telling the Dutch Muslims that if they wish to stay on in the country, they should tear up half of their holy book. He has in fact demanded a ban on the Quran in the Netherlands.

Wilders has produced a 10-minute provocative film denouncing the Quran and Islam. He said his film shows how the Quran is "an inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror". Significantly, all Dutch TV channels refused to screen the film. The Dutch government has taken a tough stand against Wilders' film. The Dutch Prime Minister Jan Balkenende said there were "major concerns at home and abroad that the film could be offensive and could lead to reactions that endanger public order, security and economy". He added that "the Netherlands has a tradition of freedom of speech, religion and lifestyle, but it also has a tradition of respect, tolerance and responsibility. Offending certain groups does not belong here".

In May 2008, Germany banned two far-right organisations which are involved in disseminating anti-Semitic propaganda and in glorifying the Nazis.

The European Convention on Human Rights, while recognising that every one has the right to freedom of expression, allows European nations to impose restrictions on freedom of expression "in interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others". The Commission may sponsor researches and surveys to identify areas where widespread discrimination against minorities and other marginalised sections of society exists. Incidentally, Britain's Home Office has recently funded a research project to determine the extent of racial and religious discrimination in the country.

One of the major tasks to be entrusted to the Commission for Equal Opportunity is the preparation of a National Diversity Charter.

Diversity Charter

The idea of a Diversity Charter is implicit in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Article 22 of the Charter deals with cultural, religious and linguistic diversity in the EU and explicitly says that the Union shall respect the continent's cultural, religious and linguistic diversity.

The idea of a Diversity Charter has been circulating in the corporate sector in Europe for the past couple of years. Several German companies, for example, signed up the Charta der Viefalt (Diversity Charter) whereby German companies commit themselves to promote diversity and to creating a working environment free from prejudice and discrimination. On December 13, 2006 Deutsche Bank, DaimierChrysler, Deutsche BP, Deutsche Telekom, Allianz and Dresdner Bank signed a document "Diversity as a Chance-The Diversity Charter by Corporations in Germany". The initiative has the patronage of Chancellor Angela Merkel. In addition to gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion and culture, the Charter also addresses physical disability and age. Joachim Horras, Head of Deutsche Bank's HR in Germany, said, "We are a global company with 67,000 employees from 130 nations in 73 countries and this is reflected in the diversity of our employees: this helps us understand our clients better and improves our ability to deliver innovative solutions as they expect us to do".

Some French companies, including LCL, Caylon, Capgemini, Sogeti and Credit Agricole S.A., have signed the Charte la Diversite dans l'Enterprise (Corporate Diversity Charter), thereby committing themselves to combating discrimination in all its forms and to ensure that their work force reflects the diverse make-up of French society. The Diversity Charter is regarded as an integral part of social and corporate responsibility.

Objectives of Diversity Charter

A National Diversity Charter for India, as suggested and outlined in the following, has a fairly comprehensive scope as it encompasses the institutions of the state, educational and research institutions, public sector, the corporate sector, media and all other sectors of public life. The basic objectives of the Diversity Charter are as follows.

• To ensure that the constitutional principles of equality and social justice have an existential meaning and reality for all citizens and all sections of Indian society, that the characteristic diversity of Indian society are reflected in its institutions and in all sectors of national life, and to eliminate incidence of bias or discrimination on grounds of religion, caste or ethnicity

• To foster an environment of transparency and accountability in public life
• To facilitate a national consensus on core principles, priorities and strategies related to the above
• To hold out a mirror to Indian society, to present a balance sheet of professed goals and accomplishments, to introspect on shortcomings and failures, and to reflect on remedial action
• To present a comparative picture of relative deprivation in its macro and micro dimensions

• To review and monitor policies and programmes launched by the Central and state governments for the empowerment and welfare of the under-privileged sections of society and to identify areas which need urgent remedial action

• To review the functioning and performance of various official bodies which are ostensibly concerned with the welfare of marginalised groups

• To provide a comparative picture of the share and representation of various segments and groups in Indian society, especially the marginalised and disadvantaged groups, in the institutions of the state and in various sectors of national life. These sectors include politics, government, Parliament and state legislatures, judiciary, bureaucracy, administrative services, armed forces, police and paramilitary forces, educational institutions, health care institutions, professional institutions and academies (such as IIMs, IITs, etc), banking, public sector, industry, corporate houses, chambers of commerce, scientific and research institutions (such as UGC, ICSSR, CSIR, etc), consultative and advisory bodies, media, NGOs, Census Commission, etc.

• To provide a comparative index of the status of various segments of society in respect of human development indicators
• To provide a comparative picture of the extent to which the benefits of policies and programmes aimed at the empowerment and welfare of the marginalised sections of society have reached the target groups
• To identify obstacles and impediments in the effective implementation of such measures
• To offer public recognition, appreciation and incentives to institutions and corporations which successfully implement the Diversity Charter. Annual Diversity Awards may be presented to institutions and corporate houses which demonstrate positive results.
• The Commission for Equal Opportunity should bring out an annual statement or report on the progress and implementation of the Diversity Charter.
• To persuade the corporate sector and business houses to make the Diversity Charter an inseparable part of corporate social responsibility

The preparation of the National Diversity Charter should involve extensive and wide-ranging consultations with official agencies, NGOs, human rights groups and the media. Relevant data and input may be collected through official agencies such as the Census Commission, National Human Rights Commission, National Sample Survey Organization, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Backward Classes, National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, Commission on Nomadic Tribes, National Commission on Minorities, etc. In addition, studies and surveys carried out by social scientists, institutions and NGOs may be drawn upon. The Right to Information Act can be a highly valuable instrument for eliciting relevant information and data.

The preparation of the National Diversity Charter should involve extensive and wide-ranging consultations with official agencies, NGOs, human rights groups and the media. Relevant data and input may be collected through official agencies such as the Census Commission, National Human Rights Commission, National Sample Survey Organization, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Backward Classes, National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, Commission on Nomadic Tribes, National Commission on Minorities, etc. In addition, studies and surveys carried out by social scientists, institutions and NGOs may be drawn upon. The Right to Information Act can be a highly valuable instrument for eliciting relevant information and data.

• It will be a step forward in redeeming the pledge given by the national leadership on the eve of the country's independence and in actualising the constitutional ideals and principles.
• It will serve as an instrument for policy initiatives aimed at the empowerment and welfare of deprived groups.
• It will help identify areas that require urgent, prioritized attention.
• It will deepen and strengthen the roots of democracy in the country by infusing the institutions of the state and other sectors of national life with a sense of moral responsibility and public accountability.
• It will offer a much-needed reassurance and commitment to marginalised groups which are in the grip of despair and frustration.
• It will strengthen and galvanize NGOs and human rights groups which are valiantly fighting for the rights of deprived groups.
• It will awaken marginalised groups to their sorry plight and urge them to mobilise their energies and resources for their own empowerment.
• It will help clear misunderstanding and misrepresentation about the state of deprivation and marginalization of various groups and communities and dispel stereotypes about the alleged 'appeasement' of certain communities by the government.
• It will serve as a model for other multiethnic societies around the world.