THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday called for an integrated approach, stronger institutions and collective responsibility to advance women’s safety and empowerment, as senior officials from 22 states and Union Territories came together here for the Shakti Summit.

Inaugurating the summit organised by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with the Odisha government, Parida said women’s safety and empowerment must be pursued simultaneously through effective institutions and robust implementation mechanisms.

 “Women’s safety and women’s empowerment cannot be addressed in isolation. They must move together through strong institutions, effective implementation and collective responsibility,” she said while addressing the inaugural session as the chief guest.

Parida said the summit would provide an important platform for states and the Centre to learn from each other, strengthen convergence and work towards ensuring that every woman is able to live with safety, dignity and opportunity.

The summit aims to bring states and UTs together to share effective practices, identify implementation gaps and evolve actionable strategies for strengthening institutional mechanisms related to women’s safety, protection and empowerment.

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, while addressing the inaugural session, outlined the vision of the summit and stressed 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 and Child Development Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Mrinalini Darswal and Mission Shakti Secretary Manasi Nimbhal were also present at the inaugural session.

The summit is being attended by 29 senior officers at the level of Secretary, Commissioner, Director and Joint Director representing 22 states and UTs.

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 and Kashmir, Chandigarh and Telangana.

The deliberations 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 UTs to learn from one another and identify areas for greater convergence in efforts towards women’s empowerment.