This report, commissioned by the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) and conducted by LEXIA, aims to understand how people perceive public services, particularly in education and health sectors, to bolster the defense of these services as essential to ensuring human rights. The study, conducted through online group sessions in New Delhi and Mumbai, explores associations, meanings and beliefs surrounding public services, the involvement of the private sector, and the impact on rights fulfillment. It highlights disparities in access based on physical or neurological disabilities, gender identity, age, poverty risk and gender. The findings reveal ambivalent perceptions of public services, with significant regional and socioeconomic variations, reflecting both the advantages and challenges of public versus private provision.

The views expressed in this report are solely that of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of GI-ESCR.