Lucknow, March 18: The sacred festival of Chaitra Navratri celebrates the various forms of Goddess Durga and honors women’s strength. In line with this spirit, the sixth phase of ‘Mission Shakti’ is set to commence on March 19. This initiative aims to transform the safety, respect, and self-reliance of daughters into a public movement. All activities will be monitored through the Chief Minister’s dashboard.
Additionally, district and block-level officials will be responsible for regular reviews.
Running from March 19 to March 26, this special campaign will promote women’s empowerment through extensive activities in schools and communities. It is viewed as a significant step towards empowering women. The initiative aims to build confidence, awareness, and leadership skills among girls while fostering a culture of respect and equality for women in society.
Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh stated that the ‘Mission Shakti’ campaign’s goal is to instill confidence, self-defense, and self-reliance in girls. This campaign, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Navratri, seeks to honor and empower women, enabling daughters to be safe, capable, and self-sufficient. This year, the campaign will highlight various dimensions of women’s strength through the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Activities in schools will include posters, discussions, and cultural programs to enhance confidence and respect for girls in society.
Approximately 132,000 primary, upper primary, and composite schools across the state will host poster competitions, street plays, rallies, speeches, dialogue programs, and film screenings. Students from all Kasturba Gandhi Girls’ Schools will also participate. Girls will receive self-defense training, and, with the police department’s assistance, they will be educated on helpline numbers, cybercrime, FIR processes, and child marriage issues. Additionally, efforts will be made to connect girls with banking processes, self-help groups, and skill training (like sewing and embroidery) to promote self-reliance.
Monika Rani, Director General of School Education, emphasized that activities at the school level will raise awareness among girls about their rights, safety, and self-defense. The ‘Mission Shakti’ campaign will serve as an effective means to develop leadership skills in girls and inspire them to move forward with confidence.
The programs under ‘Mission Shakti’ will include poster-making and discussions based on the nine forms of Navadurga on March 19, street plays on the nine forms of Durga and rallies with slogans related to children’s rights and safety on March 20, and exposure for girls in leadership roles on March 21. Other activities include Meena Day celebrations, screenings of the film “Nidar,” and rallies on March 22, visits to banks and hospitals along with relevant skill training on March 23, school visits by female officials and renowned women for dialogues with girls and self-defense training sessions on March 24, visits to nearby police stations on March 25, and street plays addressing various social issues such as gender stereotypes, child marriage, and government schemes for women on March 26.
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