Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday inaugurated the Shakti Summit in Bhubaneswar, bringing together senior officials from 22 States and Union Territories to strengthen collective action on women’s safety, protection and empowerment.
Addressing the inaugural session as the Chief Guest, Parida said women’s safety and empowerment must be pursued together through strong institutions, effective implementation and collective responsibility.
She said the Shakti Summit provides an important platform for States and the Centre to learn from each other, strengthen convergence and ensure that every woman can live with safety, dignity and opportunity.
The summit has been organised by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with the Odisha government.
It brings States and Union Territories together to share effective practices, identify implementation gaps and explore actionable strategies to strengthen institutional mechanisms for women’s safety, protection and empowerment.
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar outlined the vision of the summit and emphasised the need for sustained collective action and stronger institutional mechanisms to advance women’s safety and empowerment across the country.
NCW Member Secretary Sudeep Jain, Odisha Women & Child Development Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Mrinalini Darswal and Mission Shakti Secretary Manasi Nimbhal were also present at the inaugural session.
The summit saw participation from 29 senior officers at the level of Secretary, Commissioner, Director and Joint Director representing 22 States and Union Territories.
The participating States and UTs are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh and Telangana.
The deliberations at the Shakti Summit will focus on strengthening implementation mechanisms, sharing successful state-level interventions and fostering institutional collaboration to address emerging challenges concerning women’s safety and protection.
The summit will also provide an opportunity for States and Union Territories to learn from one another and identify areas for greater convergence in efforts towards women’s empowerment.
