Bhubaneswar: The National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Odisha government, is organising the First Shakti Summit – State WCD Leadership Conclave in Bhubaneswar from September 1 to 3.
The inaugural ceremony will be led by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida in the presence of Chief Secretary Anu Garg, and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
The summit will bring together Principal Secretaries, Commissioners and senior leadership from Women and Child Development Departments of 25 States, along with other relevant stakeholders. It will provide a platform for states to share experiences, identify implementation gaps and strengthen Centre–State convergence on issues concerning women’s safety, protection and empowerment.
Key deliberations will focus on the implementation and monitoring of the POSH Act, strengthening One Stop Centres, victim compensation mechanisms, strengthening the role of Protection Officers under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, and empowering State Women Commissions. The summit will also facilitate the exchange of state-level best practices and culminate in the adoption of a Joint Action Plan for strengthening institutional responses.
As part of its collaboration with the Odisha government, the NCW has undertaken a dedicated self-defence training initiative under Mission Shakti, through which 5,000 women were trained over the last six months across the districts of Khordha, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Balangir and Puri. Of these, 300 women from Self-Help Groups will participate in the ‘Shakti Show’ – Parade for Self Defence in the capital city on September 2.
The event will showcase the skills, confidence and preparedness developed by women through the self-defence training programme.
The Open Forum and Action Resolution will facilitate inter-State discussions on standardising SOPs and strengthening implementation across areas including POSHAN Abhiyaan, Free Child Marriage Abhiyaan, breastfeeding rooms and crèches, and mechanisms for addressing acid attacks. The deliberations will culminate in the adoption of the Joint Action Plan.
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