Global Women’s Summit in Chennai to Focus on Employment, Safety and Inclusion

Chennai, Jan 2026 :Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will inaugurate a two-day Global Women’s Summit in Chennai on Tuesday, marking a significant step in the state government’s efforts to strengthen women’s participation in the workforce. The summit will bring together policymakers, representatives of international organisations, industry leaders, academicians and civil society members to deliberate on issues related to women’s employment, workplace safety and inclusive growth.

According to an official press release, the summit is being organised under the Tamil Nadu Women Employment and Safety Scheme, which is being implemented by the Special Programme Implementation Department. The event will be held on January 27 and 28 at the Nandambakkam Trade Centre in Chennai.

The Global Women’s Summit forms part of Tamil Nadu’s broader strategy to build robust institutional frameworks that support women across all sectors of the economy. The initiative focuses on enabling women to enter the workforce, sustain long-term employment and rejoin professional life after career breaks. By encouraging supportive policies and workplace practices in both public and private sectors, the state aims to create an ecosystem that fosters dignity, safety and equal opportunity for women.

Over 500 delegates are expected to attend the summit, representing a wide spectrum of stakeholders. Participants will include officials from various government departments, international agencies, industry bodies, educational institutions, corporate social responsibility organisations and non-governmental organisations working on gender and development issues.

The summit will witness the participation of several prominent dignitaries, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Senior officials from the World Bank, representatives of UN Women, and the India leadership of the United Nations Development Programme will also take part. International delegates, including senior political representatives from Mauritius, are expected to attend, lending a global perspective to the discussions.

The two-day programme will feature 11 thematic sessions focusing on critical aspects of women’s workforce participation. Key topics will include skill development, workplace safety, leadership pathways, policy innovation, gender-responsive governance and the role of public-private partnerships in expanding formal employment opportunities for women.

More than 70 speakers from India and abroad will address the sessions, sharing research insights, policy experiences and best practices from different regions. Panel discussions and interactive sessions are expected to emphasise practical and scalable solutions that can be implemented across sectors to improve women’s access to secure and dignified employment.

The concluding session of the summit will be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. During the valedictory programme, the Tamil Nadu government is likely to announce the launch of a statewide campaign aimed at strengthening women’s skill development initiatives and improving access to formal employment opportunities.

Officials said the Global Women’s Summit reflects Tamil Nadu’s continued commitment to gender equity, economic inclusion and inclusive growth, while reinforcing the state’s leadership in women-centric policy initiatives at the national and international levels.