Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 3 (ANI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has emphasised the necessity of self-defence training for women on Thursday, stating that social empowerment is as vital as economic empowerment.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the "Shakti Show – Parade For Self Defence" initiative in Bhubaneswar, Rahatkar announced that the NCW, in collaboration with Odisha's Mission Shakti, has launched a self-defence program targeting 20,000 women throughout the state, with a particular focus on middle-aged homemakers.
"In collaboration with Mission Shakti, we launched a self-defence program for 20,000 women, specifically middle-aged homemakers, across the state," she stated. "Training for approximately 3,800 women across five districts has already been completed, and another 5,000 will complete their training this very week."
Rahatkar maintained that while women's economic empowerment remains crucial, they must also be socially empowered and equipped to defend themselves.
"While the economic empowerment of women is crucial, their social empowerment, particularly becoming strong enough to defend themselves, is equally important," she said. "The National Commission for Women has taken this initiative forward."
She added that an additional 15,000 women would be trained under the initiative in the future.
"While training for 5,000 women is currently concluding, another 15,000 will be trained in the future. We should promote this initiative as effectively as possible," the NCW chief said.
Rahatkar also advocated for incorporating self-defence training into schools, arguing that students should not have to wait for formal curriculum changes for such initiatives to be implemented.
"While including it in the curriculum would be excellent, we do not need to wait for that to happen," she said. "The new National Education Policy (NEP) incorporates various such issues and is already being implemented; therefore, self-defence should definitely be taught in schools."
The remarks came during the ongoing First Shakti Summit - State WCD Leadership Conclave, organised by the NCW in collaboration with the Government of Odisha in Bhubaneswar from September 1 to 3, according to a press release.
The summit, themed "Coordination, Dialogue, Resolve, Solution," brings together Principal Secretaries, Commissioners, and senior leadership from the Women and Child Development Departments of 25 states, along with other stakeholders.
The conclave aims to 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.
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida led the inaugural ceremony in the presence of Chief Secretary Anu Garg and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar. (ANI)
NCW, Mission Shakti launch self-defence programme for 20,000 women in Odisha
