Bhubaneswar: The National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Odisha government, will organise the first ‘Shakti Summit – State WCD Leadership Conclave’ in Bhubaneswar from September 1 to 3, bringing together senior officials from the Women and Child Development departments of 25 states.
The three-day summit will provide a platform for states to share their experiences, identify implementation gaps and strengthen Centre-State convergence on issues related to women’s safety, protection and empowerment.
The inaugural ceremony will be attended by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Chief Secretary Anu Garg and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
The summit, themed “समन्वय | संवाद | संकल्प | समाधान”, will deliberate on key issues including implementation and monitoring of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, strengthening of One Stop Centres, victim compensation mechanisms and the role of Protection Officers under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.
The participants will also discuss measures to empower State Women Commissions and exchange best practices adopted by different states.
As part of the collaboration between the NCW and Odisha government, a dedicated self-defence training initiative has been undertaken under Mission Shakti, under which 5,000 women have been trained over the past six months across Khordha, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Balangir and Puri districts.
Of these, 300 women belonging to Self-Help Groups will participate in the ‘Shakti Show’ — a parade showcasing self-defence skills — at KIIT in Bhubaneswar on September 2.
The event will highlight the skills, confidence and preparedness acquired by women through the training programme.
The summit will also feature an Open Forum and Action Resolution aimed at facilitating inter-State discussions on standardising standard operating procedures and strengthening implementation of programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan and the Free Child Marriage Abhiyaan.
Issues including breastfeeding rooms and crèches and mechanisms for addressing acid attacks will also be discussed.
The deliberations are expected to culminate in the adoption of a Joint Action Plan aimed at strengthening institutional responses to issues concerning women and children.
