DCM Pravati Parida, CS Anu Garg and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar to inaugurate Shakti Summit
25 States to participate in three-day State WCD Leadership Conclave in Bhubaneswar
Shakti Parade on Day 2: 300 SHG women to showcase self-defence skills at KIIT
Three-day conclave to culminate in Joint Action Plan for stronger institutional response
Bhubaneswar, August 2026 : The National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, is organising the First Shakti Summit – State WCD Leadership Conclave in Bhubaneswar from 1st to 3rd September 2026.
The inaugural ceremony will be led by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, Smt. Pravati Parida, in the presence of Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, Smt. Anu Garg, and Hon’ble Chairperson, National Commission for Women, Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar.
The Summit, themed “समन्वय | संवाद | संकल्प | समाधान”, will bring together Principal Secretaries, Commissioners and senior leadership from Women and Child Development Departments of 25 States, along with other relevant stakeholders. The Summit will provide a platform for States to share experiences, identify implementation gaps and strengthen Centre–State convergence on issues concerning women’s safety, protection and empowerment.
Key deliberations will focus on the implementation and monitoring of the POSH Act, strengthening One Stop Centres, victim compensation mechanisms, strengthening the role of Protection Officers under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, and empowering State Women Commissions. The Summit will also facilitate the exchange of State-level best practices and culminate in the adoption of a Joint Action Plan for strengthening institutional responses.
Shakti Show – Parade for Self Defence
As part of its collaboration with the Government of Odisha, the NCW has undertaken a dedicated self-defence training initiative under Mission Shakti, through which 5,000 women have been trained over the last six months across Khordha, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Balangir and Puri. Of these, 300 women from Self-Help Groups will participate in the ‘Shakti Show’ – Parade for Self Defence on 2nd September 2026 at KIIT, Bhubaneswar.
The event will showcase the skills, confidence and preparedness developed by women through the self-defence training programme.
The Open Forum and Action Resolution will facilitate inter-State discussions on standardising SOPs and strengthening implementation across areas including POSHAN Abhiyaan, Free Child Marriage Abhiyaan, breastfeeding rooms and crèches, and mechanisms for addressing acid attacks. The deliberations will culminate in the adoption of the Joint Action Plan.
