Mission Shakti, a Ministry of Women and Child Development initiative, aims to fortify measures for women’s safety, security and empowerment. The scheme seeks to materialize the government’s commitment to “women-led development” by addressing female-related issues on a life-cycle basis. It envisions women as equal partners in nation-building through convergence and citizen-ownership.
The scheme consists of two sub-schemes – ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’. ‘Sambal’, aims at ensuring women’s safety and security, while ‘Samarthya’, focuses on empowering women.
The ‘Sambal’ sub-scheme includes established schemes like one-stop centres (OSC), women’s helpline (WHL) and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP). It introduces Nari Adalats, women’s collectives aiming to promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution and gender justice within families and society.
‘Samarthya’, on the other hand, incorporates modified versions of erstwhile schemes such as Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh, and Working Women Hostel. Additionally, it encompasses the existing National Creche Scheme for working mothers’ children and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana under the umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
Added to the ‘Samarthya’ scheme is the Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment component.
Pending Domestic Violence Cases: A Rising Concern
According to a government document presented in court, there are approximately 4.4 lakh pending cases of domestic assault dispersed across 801 districts. Most of these districts have one-stop centres under Mission Shakti to assist victims, however, it remains unclear how many of these centres have protection officers to effectively support survivors.
Section 8 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 necessitates the appointment of protection officers. Ideally, protection officers should be women, playing a crucial role under the law. They assist victims in filing complaints, relay information to the police, provide immediate protection and support, inform victims about their legal rights, and aid them through court proceedings.
Concerns were raised regarding the potential shortage of protection officers to handle the escalating cases of domestic violence, prompting the Supreme Court to ask for more information about Mission Shakti.
The Importance of Empowering Women in Population Control
The statement ‘Empowering women is the key to control population growth’ has been discussed extensively. Empowered women are known to make informed decisions about family planning, spacing of children, and use of contraceptives, which significantly contribute to controlling population growth.
Mission Shakti aims at providing safety and empowerment for women. However, the rate of pending domestic violence cases highlights the need for an effective implementation of protection officers and other resources aimed at handling these matters. Empowering women not only aids in controlling population growth but also contributes significantly to nation-building.