Odisha Launches 'Shaktishree' Initiative For Women's Safety On Campus

The Odisha Higher Education Department has launched Shaktishree, a transformative empowerment and self-defense initiative aimed at ensuring the holistic safety of female students across higher education institutions in the state. This initiative is being implemented in 16 state universities and around 730 government and aided colleges. It focuses on strengthening campus safety and promoting physical, mental, legal, and digital security for undergraduate and postgraduate girl students.
As per the official announcement, Shaktishree is designed to safeguard higher education campuses by establishing a comprehensive safety ecosystem. At the heart of this initiative is the Shaktishree Empowerment Cell, a permanent, student-led body in each institution that will function throughout the year. This cell will be coordinated by a female student designated as Shaktishree Saathi and a female faculty member called Shaktishree Sanjojika. Additionally, five prominent female professionals selected by the district collector, known as Shakti Apas, will act as mentors and visit each institution quarterly to guide and support students. The empowerment cell is tasked with conducting a mandatory six-day intensive training program for students along with continuous activities to enhance their self-confidence and awareness about safety and rights.
A key feature of the initiative is the Shaktishree mobile application, a one-stop digital platform designed to provide female students with an easy and secure way to report complaints. It allows students to submit incidents via text, audio, or video messages with an option to remain anonymous. These complaints will directly reach the head of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of their institution. The app also includes detailed ICC guidelines for quick reference, contact details of institutional ICC members, and serves as a knowledge base of important rules, rights, and laws for women. To address mental health concerns, the app offers access to free counseling sessions with trained professionals and links directly to Tele-MANAS, a national mental health support initiative. In case of emergencies, the integrated SOS button connects students instantly with their Shaktishree Saathi and Sanjojika, ensuring rapid response. Moreover, information about Local Committees across districts is included so that students can escalate complaints if not adequately resolved at the institutional level. Standard operating procedures for managing and monitoring these complaints will also be issued by the Higher Education Department.
As part of this initiative, a mandatory Code of Conduct is being introduced for all teaching and non-teaching staff across higher education institutions. Staff members will be required to complete an annual online training module focusing on gender sensitization, professional ethics, and women’s safety. To spread awareness and engage students in empowerment activities, the SAFE campaign (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment) will be launched. This campaign will organize gender sensitization programs twice a year, aligning with significant women-centric dates. Activities such as self-defense workshops, motivational talks by experts, safety drills, and awareness drives on women’s rights are also planned to challenge gender stereotypes and create inclusive spaces for women on campus.
To ensure consistent monitoring and accountability, all higher education institutions will submit an Annual Campus Safety Report by December 31 each year. These reports will detail safety measures implemented, incidents recorded, and actions taken to prevent and address issues. Additionally, round-the-clock CCTV surveillance will be installed at strategic locations within campuses, identified jointly by ICC members and the empowerment cells, with dedicated control rooms to enhance campus security.
Students and staff will also have access to online courses focusing on the POSH Act, 2013, and UGC Regulations, 2015. These courses are designed to educate them about legal rights, complaint redressal mechanisms, and institutional responsibilities. To further strengthen the initiative, an annual one-day workshop called Shakti Swarupini will bring together all Shaktishree Saathis and Sanjojikas from across the state. This workshop will provide advanced training, case study discussions, legal awareness, and practical sessions on self-defense and digital safety, empowering them to act as change agents within their respective institutions.
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