Second Batch of Master Trainers trained under the Nirbhay Netri Initiative in New Delhi

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and the Piramal Foundation, today 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. The program was organized from 27th to 29th July 2026 under the Ministry's Nirbhay Raho initiative being implemented through the Nirbhaya Fund. This three-day program adopted a participatory learning approach through interactive discussions, group exercises and experiential learning sessions to help participants deliberate on issues relating to gender, violence, legal rights, institutional response mechanisms and survivor-centered approaches. Representatives of State Governments, faculty members, participant-trainers etc. from across the country attended the program.

Addressing the inaugural session, Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, highlighted that violence against women is not always visible and can also manifest through exclusion, discrimination and the undervaluing of women's work. She emphasized upon the importance of economic empowerment, safe public spaces and strong role models. She observed that Elected Women Representatives can play a transformative role in inspiring leadership and driving social change at the grassroots. Shri Amit Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, stated that strengthening the capacities of women representatives contributes to stronger and more responsive local governance. He said that the Nirbhay Netri initiative seeks to equip Elected Women Representatives with legal awareness, institutional knowledge and leadership skills. This would enable them to effectively address issues relating to the safety, security and dignity of women in their communities.

This three-day session underscored the importance of the Nirbhay Raho Initiative that seeks to drive both behavioral and institutional change by equipping Elected Women Representatives with knowledge, skills and confidence to address issues of violence against women and strengthen community-level support systems. Distinguished speakers expressed confidence that the collaborative approach adopted under the program, coupled with the cascading effect of the Training of Trainers (ToT) model, would enable large-scale capacity building of Elected Women Representatives across the country, thereby fostering more gender-responsive and inclusive governance in Panchayats. The Ministry had organized the pilot batch of the Training of Trainers program in May 2026 in New Delhi, marking the commencement of the nationwide capacity-building initiative under the Nirbhay Raho Campaign.

About Nirbhay Raho Campaign

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Nirbhay Raho campaign under the Nirbhaya Fund on 11^th March 2026 to strengthen women's safety, security and empowerment through Panchayati Raj Institutions. The campaign promotes gender-responsive governance by building the capacities of Panchayats and elected representatives to prevent and effectively respond to issues affecting women. It comprises three components namely Nirbhay Netri, Nirbhay Chetna and Nirbhay Drishti. Under Nirbhay Netri, around 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 (ToT) model, supported by nearly 28,500 Master Trainers at the State, District and Block levels. The initiative equips women representatives with knowledge of legal provisions, institutional mechanisms and community-level response systems relating to women's safety and security. It is supported by multilingual training modules, audio-visual learning resources and structured training material to ensure uniform implementation across the country, while also encouraging the integration of women's safety, dignity and empowerment into Panchayat Development Plans. Nirbhay Chetna focuses on sensitizing elected male representatives to promote gender-responsive governance, while Nirbhay Drishti aims to strengthen surveillance and safety infrastructure at the Panchayat level to make public spaces safer for women.

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