National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar stressed the critical need for self-defence training for women on Thursday, stating that social empowerment holds equal weight alongside economic independence.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the “Shakti Show – Parade For Self Defence” event in Bhubaneswar, Rahatkar announced that the NCW, partnering with Odisha’s Mission Shakti, has rolled out a statewide self-defence initiative aiming to train 20,000 women, focusing closely on middle-aged homemakers.
“In collaboration with Mission Shakti, we launched a self-defence program for 20,000 women, specifically middle-aged homemakers, across the state,” she stated.
“Training for approximately 3,800 women across five districts has already been completed, and another 5,000 will complete their training this very week,” Rahatkar added.
Rahatkar reasserted that while financial independence is vital, women must simultaneously build physical resilience and social confidence to protect themselves.
“While the economic empowerment of women is crucial, their social empowerment, particularly becoming strong enough to defend themselves, is equally important,” she said. “The National Commission for Women has taken this initiative forward.”
She further outlined plans to expand the initiative to cover an additional 15,000 women in upcoming phases.
“While training for 5,000 women is currently concluding, another 15,000 will be trained in the future. We should promote this initiative as effectively as possible,” the NCW chief said.
Advocating for immediate self-defence instruction in school environments, Rahatkar urged that implementation should proceed without waiting for administrative curriculum updates.
“While including it in the curriculum would be excellent, we do not need to wait for that to happen,” she said. “The new National Education Policy (NEP) incorporates various such issues and is already being implemented; therefore, self-defence should definitely be taught in schools.”
She made the remarks during the inaugural First Shakti Summit – State WCD Leadership Conclave, hosted by the NCW in partnership with the Odisha government in Bhubaneswar from September 1 to 3, an official release detailed.
The summit, themed “Coordination, Dialogue, Resolve, Solution,” brings together Principal Secretaries, Commissioners, and senior leadership from the Women and Child Development Departments of 25 states, along with other stakeholders.
The conclave aims to 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.
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida led the inaugural ceremony in the presence of Chief Secretary Anu Garg and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
