Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj highlighted the importance of ensuring women’s safety, dignity, and equal participation for the realization of the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. Speaking at the Nirbhay Chetna initiative, he underscored the role of Panchayats in driving positive societal changes at the grassroots level.
The Nirbhay Chetna initiative, held from June 17 to 19, aims to promote gender-sensitive leadership by prioritizing women’s dignity, safety, and opportunities in development efforts. Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, emphasized the collective responsibility of society in safeguarding women’s rights and dignity.
Lohani also emphasized the significant role of Panchayats in promoting gender-responsive governance and creating safer environments for women and girls. The Nirbhay Chetna initiative focuses on raising awareness, sensitivity, and accountability among male elected representatives to empower them in advocating for women’s safety, dignity, and leadership within their communities.
Under the broader Nirbhay Raho initiative launched on March 11, 2026, Nirbhay Chetna is a key component alongside Nirbhay Netri and Nirbhay Drishti. Nirbhay Netri focuses on empowering elected women representatives, while Nirbhay Drishti involves installing CCTV cameras in rural areas to enhance safety infrastructure within Panchayats.
A cadre of 28,500 Master Trainers is being developed under Nirbhay Chetna to train over 17.5 lakh male elected representatives nationwide. The initiative also introduced the Nirbhay Chetna training module, designed to engage male representatives on gender equality, women’s safety, rights, and leadership within Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The pilot batch of around 40 master trainers from various states will serve as the foundation for a cascading training model to be expanded across all States and Union Territories.
