Odisha State Commission for Women Marks 33rd Foundation Day

Bhubaneswar: The 33rd Foundation Day of the Odisha State Commission for Women was celebrated at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday, reaffirming the State Government’s commitment to strengthening women’s rights, safety and empowerment.

The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, in the presence of Health & Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, Electronics & IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, and Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Women Shobhona Mohanty, along with senior officials, social workers and representatives of civil society.

On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister released several publications, including the Annual Report of the Commission, its newsletter ‘Bijayini’, the publication ‘Passport to Women Empowerment’, the Commission’s new official website, and ‘Punarmilan’, a compilation of successful reconciliation stories. Individuals who made notable contributions in various fields were also felicitated.

Addressing the gathering, Parida underlined that the State Government believes not just in women’s development but in “women-led development.” She reiterated the government’s resolve to eliminate violence, crime and gender-based discrimination against women, while ensuring timely justice. Appreciating the Commission’s initiative of replacing traditional bouquets with fruit baskets, she described it as a thoughtful and meaningful gesture.

Recalling her appeal to distribute fruits at Anganwadi centres to combat malnutrition, she emphasised that ensuring proper nutrition is a shared social responsibility. Encouraging women to move ahead with confidence and self-reliance, she assured continued government support through various empowerment initiatives.

Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the foundation of a healthy society rests on the well-being of women. Highlighting government initiatives such as the ‘Khushi’ scheme, under which free sanitary napkins are provided to adolescent girls, he also referred to the State’s deworming campaign covering children aged 1–19 years and women of reproductive age (20–24 years). He urged the Commission members to continue their dedicated efforts for positive social change.

Industries and Skill Development Minister Sampad Chandra Swain highlighted the government’s focus on enhancing skill development among girls. He noted that girls trained at the World Skill Centre have excelled at international platforms, bringing laurels to Odisha. He called for collective efforts to build a safe, healthy and empowered society.

Chairperson Shobhona Mohanty elaborated on the Commission’s achievements in addressing gender-based violence and crimes against women. She stated that cases related to domestic violence, matrimonial disputes, dowry harassment, dowry deaths, suicides and workplace harassment are being addressed through a structured grievance redressal mechanism.

During the financial year 2024–25, the Commission resolved 1,879 cases through hearings, reflecting its sustained commitment to protecting women’s rights. To ensure access to justice at the grassroots, district-level court camps were organised in coordination with district administrations, including in Bolangir and Gajapati, where 14 cases were resolved.

She further informed that 85 district-level awareness programmes were conducted across 26 districts in 2024–25 to enhance legal literacy among women, along with block-level outreach initiatives involving SHGs, health workers, teachers, Panchayati Raj representatives, students, lawyers and civil society members. Commission officials also regularly visit correctional homes to ensure the safety and welfare of women inmates.

Members of the Odisha State Commission for Women — Pratibha Satpathy, Urmila Mahapatra, Kalpana Mallick and Mukta Sahu — along with social workers, representatives of voluntary organisations, SHG members and law students attended the programme.