Beyond empowering the women, 'Mission Shakti' to sensitise men

Lucknow: 'Mission Shakti', the flagship campaign of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, is moving beyond empowering women and is now working towards creating gender equality, sensitising men and making them aware of the rights of women.

Under the third phase of 'Mission Shakti', nearly three million people, including over 12 lakh men and more than 16 lakh women, have been made aware of women's rights.

The Department of Women's Welfare and Child Development is organising awareness programmes to sensitise the men about the rights of women.

According to Manoj Rai, director, Women Welfare, "Within just three months, from August 7 to November 25, more than 28.32 lakh people of the state have been made aware across the state through various modes of communications like seminars and workshops. Of these, about 12,18,181 are male participants while 16,09,238 are females."

The state government is striving hard to make men aware of their legal rights and to educate them about the benefits of women welfare schemes of the state government.

He said that special awareness programmes are being organised in the state conducting awareness drives about various laws and provisions related to violence against women and children.

"This is a step to create gender equality. Empowering women and raising awareness on women's rights contributes to limiting gender stereotypes which prevent women from participating fully in the social, professional and public life and deprives them of their full rights," Rai added.