The second edition of UN Women’s flagship capacity-building programme, SheLeads II: Workshop for Women Leaders, was inaugurated by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi here on Thursday. The workshop aims to amplify women’s participation in governance, foster dialogue, and build political leadership skills by bringing together grassroots women leaders, elected representatives, and administrators from across the country.
SheLeads is a flagship initiative of UN Women India Country Office, aimed at advancing gender equality in public and political leadership to support women leaders in contesting the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
Thirty-six participants were shortlisted from a pool of 260 applicants across 22 states for the two-day workshop being organised by the UN Women India Country Office. The participants were chosen based on their experience, motivation, and future plans.
The workshop will focus on participants engaging in interactive sessions with Members of Parliament, policy experts, and media strategists, covering topics such as electoral campaigning, governance structures, narrative building, and effective media engagement.
A statement from the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that the two-day workshop, organised by UN Women India Country Office, comes at a pivotal moment, following the historic passing of the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, which mandates a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. With only 14 percent of seats currently held by women in the 18th Lok Sabha, initiatives like SheLeads are critical to bridging this representation gap, the statement read.
In her keynote address, Annpurna Devi emphasised the importance of women as leaders. “Women’s leadership is not just a matter of representation; it is central to driving women-led development for a Viksit Bharat. Initiatives like SheLeads are pivotal in equipping women with the skills and networks needed to lead from the front, ensuring that our development agenda, be it towards 2030 SDGs or India’s Agenda 2040, is truly inclusive and representative of every voice,” she said.
Addressing the gathering, May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of Norway to India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, said that Norway is proud to support initiatives that empower women leaders and foster inclusive governance. “Initiatives like SheLeads are essential for translating policy commitments into real-world impact,” she said.
“To achieve the vision of a Viksit Bharat, women’s representation in politics is essential. Women leaders are not only change-makers in their communities but are critical to shaping policies and governance that reflect the aspirations of all citizens. SheLeads is our effort to ensure women have the platform, skills, and networks to step into these roles with confidence,” Kanta Singh, Country Representative, UN Women India, said in her address.