“Mission Shakti”, was launched by the Government of India as an integrated women empowerment program under an umbrella scheme for the safety, security, and empowerment of women for implementation during the 15’h Finance Commission period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The Mission Shakti is laid down, under the Administrative Secretaries of the Department of Women & Child Development / Social Welfare All State Governments / UT Administrations.
‘Mission Shakti’ is a scheme in mission mode aimed at strengthening interventions for women’s safety, security, and empowerment. It seeks to realize the Government’s commitment to “women-led development” by addressing issues affecting women on a life-cycle continuum basis and by making them equal partners in nation-building through convergence and citizen-ownership.
#JhansiPolice #MissionShakti अभियान के तहत महिला आरक्षी गण द्वारा क्षेत्र भ्रमण के दौरान महिलाओं को महिलाओं की सुरक्षा, महिला संंबंधी अपराधों से बचाव तथा शासन से जारी हेल्प लाइन नम्बर (112,1090, 181,108,1076,1098) इत्यादि की जानकारी देते हुए जागरुक किया गया। pic.twitter.com/VXYH4GzVST
— Jhansi Police (@jhansipolice) April 12, 2024
It seeks to focus on proposing strategies for improving convergence across Ministries/Departments and at different levels of governance. It also seeks to promote greater participation and support of Panchayats and other local-level governance bodies, apart from strengthening digital infrastructure support, last mile tracking, and Jan Sahabhagita.
Mission Shakti has two sub-schemes -‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’. In the „Sambal‟ sub-scheme, which is for the safety and security of women, the existing scheme of One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline (WHL), BetiBachaoBetiPadhao (BBBP) has been included with modifications, and a new component of Nari Adalat – women collective has been added.
In the „Samarthya‘ sub-scheme, which is for women empowerment, existing schemes of Ujjwala, SwadharGreh; and Working Women Hostel have been included with modifications.
In addition, the existing schemes of the National Creches Scheme and PMMVY under the umbrella 7 ICDS have now been included in Samarthya. A new component of Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment has also been added to the Samarthya Scheme. The existing sub-schemes of Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) and Mahila Police Volunteers (MPV) have been discontinued.
OBJECTIVE OF MISSION SHAKTI
The objective of the Mission Shakti is to provide to all women and girls including differently-abled, socially and economically marginalized and vulnerable groups, in need of care and protection, with short-term and long-term services and information for their holistic development and empowerment. The objectives of the Mission Shakti are as under:
- Provide immediate and comprehensive continuum of care, support, and assistance to women affected by violence and to those in distress
- To put in place quality mechanisms for the rescue, protection, and rehabilitation of women in need of assistance and victims of crime and violence.
- To improve accessibility to various government services available for women at various levels
- Making people aware of Government schemes and programs as well as legal provisions to fight social evils like dowry, domestic violence, and Sexual Harassment at the Workplace and to promote gender equality etc.
- Capacity building and training of functionaries/ duty bearers under various schemes/ Legislations.
- Collaboration with partner Ministries/ Departments/ States/ UTs for convergence of policies, programs/ schemes and to create an enabling environment for public-private partnership for safety and empowerment of women across sectors.
- Create awareness among the masses for inducing positive behavioral change towards women and girls.
- To prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination; to ensure survival, protection, education, and development of the girl child.
SERVICES & ACTIVITIES MISSION SHAKTI
The scheme will provide financial support for service delivery and hiring of technical/ other required manpower for the initiatives for immediate and long-term care and support to the targeted women. The services included in Mission Shakti:
(i) Emergency/ Immediate services & short-term care. Putting in place mechanisms for providing a continuum of support and care for women affected by violence and women in distress through a dedicated 24-hour helpline by a national toll-free number and integrated services such as temporary shelter, legal aid, psycho-social counseling, medical assistance, police facilitation and link them with existing services, etc. through One Stop Centres.
(ii) Institutional Care for long-term support. The long-term institutional care component, inter alia, includes taking care of the needs of women right from the conception stage till the time they need such care and support because of their physical, financial, and sociological status due to various factors.
The support system, inter-alia, includes financial support through direct benefit transfer (DBT) route, shelter, food, rescue & rehabilitation services, counseling, functional literacy, vocational training for skill development, entrepreneurship and linkages with various other support and referral services to destitute, distressed, marginalized, victims of violence, and working women or those who do not have anyone to take care through Shakti Sadan, a home for destitute, distressed, marginalized, victims of trafficking 9 etc.
To provide care and support and all the daily needs and services. SakhiNiwas or Working Women Hostel will provide a safe and secure place for the working women away from their native place/ homes with all functional facilities like accommodation, food, and day-care facility for their children, wherever possible, in urban, semi-urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist on nominal cost basis.
The Palna or National Creche component will provide a safe and secure place for the children of working mothers in the age group of 6 months to 6 years for 71/2 hours a day. Financial support for pregnant and lactating mothers is to improve the health and nutrition of mother and child as well as for partial compensation of wage loss, if any.
(iii) Behaviour Change Communication for dignity and prevention of crime and violence against women. This would include large-scale awareness programs and community engagement for gender sensitization, advocacy, training, and capacity building of all duty bearers, service providers, and stakeholders through inter-ministerial convergence. In addition, engaging with men and boys would be done to partner for countering VAW and Gender stereotypes that will include Inter-sectoral consultation, Media Campaign, Training & Capacity Building/ sensitization program, Innovation, Outreach and advocacy, IEC material/awareness kit etc
Mission Shakti: Empowering Women for a Brighter Future
Mission Shakti is a comprehensive initiative launched by the Government of India to enhance the safety, security, and empowerment of women. This mission aims to address the challenges faced by women across the country and create an environment where they can thrive and contribute to nation-building.
Key Components of Mission Shakti
Mission Shakti is divided into two main components: Sambal and Samarthya.
Sambal: This component focuses on the safety and security of women. It includes schemes such as:
One Stop Centre (OSC): Provides integrated services such as temporary shelter, legal aid, psycho-social counseling, medical assistance, and police facilitation.
Women Helpline (WHL): A national toll-free number offering immediate assistance to women in distress.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): Aims to address the declining child sex ratio and promote the education and empowerment of girls.
Nari Adalats: Women’s collectives that promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution and gender justice in society and within families.
Samarthya: This component focuses on the empowerment of women. It includes schemes such as:
Ujjwala: A scheme for the prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims of trafficking.
Swadhar Greh: Provides shelter, food, clothing, and care to marginalized women and girls.
Working Women Hostel: Offers safe and affordable accommodation to working women.
National Creche Scheme: Provides daycare facilities to children of working mothers.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): A maternity benefit program providing financial assistance to pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment: Supports women in achieving economic independence through various initiatives.
Recent Developments and Achievements
AI Integration: Mission Shakti has integrated AI tools to enhance the efficiency and reach of its programs. AI-driven platforms are being used to monitor and evaluate the impact of various schemes.
Community Engagement: Large-scale awareness programs and community engagement initiatives have been launched to promote gender sensitization and prevent violence against women. These programs also engage men and boys as partners in countering gender stereotypes and violence.
Skill Development: Various skill development programs have been introduced to empower women with the skills needed to achieve economic independence. These programs focus on areas such as digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and vocational training.
The Impact of Mission Shakti
Mission Shakti has had a significant impact on the lives of women across India. By providing a comprehensive continuum of care, support, and assistance, the mission has helped women in distress and victims of violence to rebuild their lives. The focus on economic empowerment has enabled many women to achieve financial independence and contribute to their families and communities.
Conclusion
Mission Shakti is a transformative initiative that aims to create a safer and more empowering environment for women in India. By addressing the challenges faced by women and providing them with the necessary support and resources, the mission is helping to build a more inclusive and equitable society.
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