The Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued detailed guidelines for the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme, which will be applicable from 1st April 2022. The scheme aims to empower women by addressing their safety, security, and overall welfare.
What is Mission Shakti?
Mission Shakti is an integrated women empowerment program launched as an umbrella scheme for the
safety,
security, and
empowerment of women. It spans the period from the
15th Finance Commission period (2021-22 to 2025-26) and consolidates various existing schemes and programs under a unified framework.
Components of Mission Shakti- Sambal (Safety and Security of Women):
- Sambal focuses on the safety and security of women. This component includes:
- One Stop Centre (OSC): A support system for women in distress.
- Women Helpline (WHL): A dedicated helpline for emergency support.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): Promotes the welfare and empowerment of girls.
- Nari Adalats: Women's collectives aimed at facilitating alternative dispute resolution and gender justice within families and society.
- Samarthya (Empowerment of Women):
- Samarthya aims at the empowerment of women by including:
- The erstwhile schemes such as Ujjwala (for the prevention of trafficking) and Swadhar Greh (for the rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances).
- Working Women Hostel: Providing safe and secure accommodation for working women.
- National Creche Scheme: A support system for children of working mothers.
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): Cash assistance for pregnant women.
- Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment: A new initiative to financially support women entrepreneurs and workers.
Services & Activities Under Mission Shakti- Emergency/Immediate Services and Short-Term Care:
- Immediate response through National Toll-Free Numbers.
- Services such as temporary shelter, legal aid, psycho-social counselling, medical assistance, police facilitation, and linkages to existing services through One Stop Centres (OSCs).
- Institutional Care for Long-Term Support:
- Long-term care facilities such as SakhiNiwas (Working Women Hostels), offering safe and secure living spaces for working women.
- Support is provided from conception to the point where women need ongoing care.
- Behaviour Change Communication:
- Awareness programs aimed at gender sensitization, focusing on preventing violence against women and gender-based discrimination.
- Community engagement initiatives to challenge gender stereotypes.
- Engaging with men and boys to promote gender equality and reduce violence against women.
Objectives of Mission Shakti- Comprehensive Care and Support:
- Provide immediate and comprehensive support to women affected by violence and those in distress, offering a continuum of care from rescue to rehabilitation.
- Rescue, Protection, and Rehabilitation:
- Establish quality mechanisms for the rescue, protection, and rehabilitation of women victims of violence and crime.
- Improving Accessibility to Government Services:
- Enhance accessibility to government schemes and services available for women at different levels of governance.
- Raising Awareness:
- Increase awareness about government programs and legal provisions that address issues like dowry, domestic violence, and sexual harassment at the workplace.
- Promote gender equality and provide information on how to fight social evils.
- Collaboration and Convergence:
- Collaborate with partner Ministries, Departments, States, and UTs to create an enabling environment for public-private partnerships focused on the safety and empowerment of women.
- Prevention of Gender-Biased Sex Selective Elimination:
- Work towards ensuring the survival, protection, education, and development of the girl child.
- Reducing the Care Burden on Women:
- Reduce the care burden on women by promoting skill development, capacity building, financial literacy, and providing access to microcredit to increase female labour force participation.
Key Takeaways
Mission Shakti seeks to provide a holistic framework for the safety, security, and empowerment of women in India. By combining emergency support services with long-term empowerment initiatives, the scheme addresses various aspects of women's welfare, from
health and
education to
economic participation and
gender justice. Through strategic collaborations, it aims to create a more
equitable and
safe environment for women, facilitating their full participation in societal development.
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