New Delhi: In a major initiative aimed at promoting gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched ‘Nirbhay Chetna’, a national programme designed to sensitise more than 17.5 lakh male elected representatives on issues related to women’s safety, dignity, rights, and gender equality.
The initiative, being implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund, was formally rolled out through a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme held in New Delhi from June 17 to 19. Described by the ministry as the largest drive of its kind in the world, the programme seeks to strengthen gender-responsive leadership within Panchayati Raj Institutions across the country.
During the event, the ministry also launched the Nirbhay Chetna training module developed by Transform Rural India. The first batch included around 40 master trainers from Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. These trainers will form the foundation of a cascading training model that will eventually be expanded to all states and Union Territories.
Addressing the inaugural session, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Vivek Bharadwaj, said the vision of a developed India cannot be achieved without ensuring women’s safety, dignity, and equal participation in society. He highlighted the role of Panchayats as institutions capable of driving social and democratic transformation at the grassroots level.
Additional Secretary Sushil Kumar Lohani emphasised that ensuring the safety and dignity of women is a collective responsibility. He noted that Panchayats have a crucial role in creating a safer and more enabling environment for women and girls while promoting accountability and awareness among elected representatives.
The training programme adopted a participatory approach involving expert sessions, group discussions, case studies, and experiential learning exercises. Participants engaged with themes such as positive masculinity, community participation, gender-responsive governance, and the role of Panchayats in advancing women’s safety, dignity, and inclusion.
Nirbhay Chetna is one of three components under the broader ‘Nirbhay Raho’ initiative launched on March 11, 2026. The programme also includes ‘Nirbhay Netri’, which focuses on capacity-building and legal awareness for elected women representatives, and ‘Nirbhay Drishti’, which envisages the installation of CCTV cameras at strategic rural locations to strengthen technology-enabled safety infrastructure in Panchayats.
According to the ministry, Nirbhay Chetna aims to create a cadre of 28,500 master trainers at the state, district, and block levels. These trainers will be responsible for reaching more than 17.5 lakh male elected representatives across the country and promoting gender-sensitive leadership and governance practices in rural India.
The initiative is expected to play a key role in encouraging behavioural change, challenging social stereotypes and strengthening community-led efforts to improve women’s safety, participation and leadership at the grassroots level.
