The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and the Piramal Foundation, concluded the second batch of the three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program on "Nirbhay Netri – Freedom from Violence: Capacity Building of Elected Women Representatives on Legal Provisions for Safety and Security of Women" in New Delhi from 27th to 29th July 2026. The program was organized under the Ministry's Nirbhay Raho initiative implemented through the Nirbhaya Fund, adopting a participatory learning approach through interactive discussions, group exercises and experiential learning sessions.
Secretary of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, highlighted that violence against women can manifest through exclusion, discrimination and undervaluing of women's work, emphasizing the importance of economic empowerment, safe public spaces and strong role models. Shri Amit Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, stated that strengthening capacities of women representatives contributes to stronger local governance, with the Nirbhay Netri initiative seeking to equip Elected Women Representatives with legal awareness, institutional knowledge and leadership skills.
The Nirbhay Raho campaign was launched on 11th March 2026 under the Nirbhaya Fund to strengthen women's safety, security and empowerment through Panchayati Raj Institutions. The campaign comprises three components: Nirbhay Netri, Nirbhay Chetna and Nirbhay Drishti. Under Nirbhay Netri, approximately 14.5 lakh Elected Women Representatives and representatives of Traditional Local Bodies across States and Union Territories will be trained through a cascading Training of Trainers model supported by nearly 28,500 Master Trainers at State, District and Block levels. The initiative provides multilingual training modules, audio-visual learning resources and structured training material to ensure uniform implementation nationwide while encouraging integration of women's safety into Panchayat Development Plans.