New Delhi, June 20: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched a three-day Trainer of Trainers (ToT) program for ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ under the ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ project in New Delhi. Recognized as one of the largest initiatives globally, ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ aims to sensitize men to women’s issues, strengthening gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots level.
The program also introduced the ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ training module developed by ‘Transform Rural India.’ This initiative seeks to create a group of skilled trainers who will educate male elected representatives within Panchayati Raj institutions about gender equality, women’s safety, rights, and leadership.
The pilot batch included around 40 skilled trainers from six states: Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. The ministry stated that this batch will serve as the foundation for a training model to be expanded across all states and union territories.
Addressing the inaugural session, Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry Vivek Bhardwaj emphasized that achieving the vision of a ‘Developed India’ is impossible without ensuring women’s safety, respect, and equal participation. He highlighted the crucial role of Panchayati Raj institutions in driving social and democratic change.
Bhardwaj stressed that the initiative aims to promote gender sensitivity by establishing women’s dignity, safety, and opportunities as essential pillars of development.
Additional Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry, Sushil Kumar Lohani, addressed participants, emphasizing that ensuring women’s safety and dignity is a collective social responsibility. He underscored the significant role of Panchayati Raj institutions in fostering gender-sensitive governance and creating a safer, more inclusive environment for women and girls.
He stated that ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ aims to build awareness, sensitivity, and accountability among male elected representatives, enabling them to work towards women’s safety, dignity, leadership, and empowerment in their communities.
The program adopted a participatory approach through expert sessions, group discussions, case studies, and experiential learning to develop a deep understanding of gender issues, challenge social stereotypes, and promote gender-sensitive leadership. Key topics included positive masculinity, community participation, and the role of Panchayati Raj institutions in enhancing women’s safety, dignity, and inclusion.
It is noteworthy that ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ is a crucial component of the ‘Nirbhay Raho’ initiative launched on March 11, which includes three complementary components. ‘Nirbhay Netrī’ focuses on capacity building and legal awareness for elected women representatives, while ‘Nirbhay Chetna’ aims to sensitize elected male representatives towards gender equality and women’s safety. Additionally, ‘Nirbhay Drishti’ envisions strengthening technology-based safety infrastructure in Panchayati Raj institutions by installing CCTV cameras in strategically rural locations.
Under ‘Nirbhay Chetna,’ a cadre of 28,500 master trainers is being prepared at the state, district, and block levels to reach over 1.75 million male elected representatives nationwide.
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