India Unveils Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat Initiative at National Convention

New Delhi: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj hosted the National Convention on Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats in New Delhi, an event aimed at making every district in India home to at least one Gram Panchayat that prioritizes the needs and safety of women and girls. The convention was a part of the celebrations for International Women’s Day 2025, with more than 1,500 elected representatives and officials joining the event both in person and virtually.

Gracing the occasion were Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare,  Anupriya Patel, and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, including  Vivek Bharadwaj (Secretary) and Sushil Kumar Lohani (Additional Secretary). Representatives from various ministries, state rural development institutes, and international organizations, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), also attended the event.

During the convention, several new initiatives were launched to strengthen women’s role in governance, including the Virtual Training Programs for Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats and a Real-Time Monitoring Dashboard. This innovative digital tool will allow for real-time monitoring of progress in making Gram Panchayats more women-centric and ensuring that women leaders get the necessary support for their roles.

In her speech, Anupriya Patel spoke about the government’s various health initiatives designed specifically for women and children. She emphasized the role of women elected representatives in implementing these schemes at the grassroots level, such as the Ayushman Aarogya Mandir and programs like Janani Suraksha Yojana. Patel reiterated the importance of ensuring safe motherhood and maternal health at the village level and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sashakt Mahila, Sashakt Panchayat, Sashakt Bharat.”

Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, announced that 770 Gram Panchayats across India would be selected for specialized leadership training. These selected women leaders will be trained to manage central government schemes and services, including those focused on pension schemes, Ayushman Bharat, and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. The goal is to help women take charge of their community’s development and health services.

Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, stressed that the Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat initiative is focused on empowering women by creating an environment where their leadership can thrive. He shared examples of successful regional models such as Kerala’s Jagratha Samithi, Odisha’s child marriage prevention programs, and Rajasthan’s child- and women-friendly Panchayats. Dr. Deepa Prasad, Chief of Programs at UNFPA, also highlighted the significant role local governance plays in the protection and empowerment of women.

The launch of the Women’s Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), which ensures more women’s participation in policy-making, marked an important milestone in this journey towards empowering women at all levels of governance. This bill, alongside initiatives like the provision of toilets, clean fuel, menstrual hygiene, and better nutrition, aims to improve the quality of life for rural women across the country.

In a bid to amplify these efforts, a nationwide Mahila Gram Sabha is set to take place on March 8, 2025 across all Gram Panchayats in India. This event will allow women to come together to discuss and advance the goals of the Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat initiative, marking a significant push towards gender equality and rural development.