Bhubaneswar: Amid the nationwide outrage over death of a college student by self-immolation due to alleged sexual harassment by her HoD and institutional neglect, the Odisha’s Higher Education Department on Saturday announced Shaktishree, a transformative empowerment and self defence programme for undergraduate and postgraduate girl students of 16 state universities, 730 government and aided institutions in the state.
According to an official release, the initiative, while focussing on ensuring the holistic safety of female students – physical, legal, mental & digital, also aims at safeguarding the campuses of the higher education institutions (HEIs) of the state.
The eight key components of the initiative are as follows:
1. Shaktishree Empowerment Cell: A permanent, student-led cell to be created in every institution.
Shaktishree Saathi, Shaktishree Sanjojika and Shakti Apa – A female student to act as ‘Shaktishree Saathi’ and a female faculty member to act as ‘Shaktishree Sanjojika’ to coordinate & synergize the Shaktishree Empowerment Cell. In addition to that, five distinguished female professionals will be selected by the district collector as ‘Shakti Apas’ who will act as mentors for students of the institution and will visit the institution once in every three months.
2. Shaktishree Mobile Application: A one-stop mobile application for all female students to securely report their complaints, seek support and much more.
3. Code of Conduct for Teaching and Non-Teaching Staffs in Higher Education Institutions.
4. SAFE campaign (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment), focussing on awareness related to gender sensitization, anti-bullying etc.
5. Annual campus safety report to be submitted by all Higher Education Institutions.
6. CCTV Surveillance: Round-the-clock surveillance in all institutions to ensure security.
7. Online courses: Online courses will be provided on POSH Act, 2013 and UGC Regulations,2015
8. Shakti Swarupini: An annual one-day workshop bringing all Shaktishree Saathis and Shaktishree Sanjojikas of the state for training, knowledge sharing and feedback to further strengthen the initiative.
Shaktishree Empowerment Cell
Shaktishree Empowerment Cell is a student-led permanent round-the-year body to be established in all higher education institutions of the state. This will be coordinated by the Shaktishree Sanjojika (a female faculty of the institution) and the Shaktishree Saathi (a female student of the same institution). The cell is meant to foster a sense of security and empowerment among the female students and staff (both teaching and non-teaching) of the institution. It shall conduct a mandatory ‘6-Days Intensive Training Programme’ batch-wise along-with round-the-year activities to strengthen the young female students at individual level. Five distinguished female professionals to be selected by the district collector as ‘Shakti Apas’ who will act as mentors for students of the institution and will visit the institution once in every three months.
Shaktishree Mobile Application
This mobile application is expected to be a revolutionary tool for enhancing the safety and well-being of girl students and female employees of the colleges and universities across the state.
The app would have provisions for letting students register complaints about incidents — via text, audio o
r video message — with option of anonymity, which shall be linked to the concerned head of the internal complaints Committee (ICC) of the institution.
It will feature ICC guidelines for ready reference and awareness and also act as a knowledge base of necessary rules, laws and rights of girl students and female employees. It shall also feature the contact details of the institution’s ICC.
For students experiencing stress or anxiety and to support their mental health, they would have the option to schedule free counselling sessions by professionally trained medical health counsellors. The application will also link directly to Tele-MANAS, a national initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that provides mental health support.
An integrated SOS button will enable users to seek immediate help in case of emergency situations which shall directly connect them with the Shaktishree Saathi & the Shakstishree Sanjojika.
Additionally, it will include information on Local Committees (LC) across districts, enabling students to escalate their complaints if they feel their complaints are not adequately addressed by the ICC at the institutional level.
Further SOP for disposal of these complaints and monitoring thereof will be issued by Higher Education Department.
Code of Conduct for Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff
A comprehensive Code of Conduct will be introduced and made mandatory for all teaching and non-teaching staff across HEIs. As part of this initiative, all staff members will be required to complete an annual online training module. This measure is expected to significantly enhance awareness regarding gender sensitisation, women safety and professional ethics among teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutions.
SAFE Campaign
The SAFE (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment) Campaign is a comprehensive initiative aimed at promoting gender sensitisation and empowering women through awareness. The campaign will conduct gender sensitisation awareness programs twice a year, coinciding with significant days related to women empowerment and safety. The campaign shall organize a variety of activities such as self-defence workshops, awareness drives on women’s rights, safety drills, motivational talks by experts etc. which will encourage active participation from all stakeholders and will focus on challenging gender stereotypes, fostering respect, and creating a safe environment for women.
Annual Campus Safety Report
As part of the Shaktishree initiative, Annual Campus Safety Report will be submitted by all HEIs by December 31 every year. It would play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and secure environment. This report would provide comprehensive data on campus safety measures, incidents and complaints reported, measures taken, Action Taken Report, crime prevention strategies, emergency response procedures, gender-specific safety initiatives etc.
CCTV Installation
The installation of CCTV cameras shall be ensured in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for round-the-clock monitoring, along with a dedicated control room within each college. This would be a crucial component of the broader safety and security framework. CCTVs will be installed at strategic locations which will be identified by ICC members and Shaktisree Empowerment Cell.
Online courses
Online courses will be provided on POSH Act, 2013 and UGC Regulations, 2015.
Shakti Swarupini
The annual one-day workshop would bring together all the Shaktishree Saathis and Shaktishree Sanjojikas of the state. This will strengthen their roles as change agents by ensuring brainstorming, training on various legal aspects and provisions, case studies related to their handling of cases, the use of Shaktishree Mobile App for safety and empowerment etc. Participants will be well equipped with knowledge about legal rights, self-defense techniques, and digital tools, enabling them to act confidently as trainers and members within the Shaktishree Empowerment Cell. These workshops will not only enhance individual confidence but also promote a culture of proactive safety and gender sensitivity among college girls thus creating a more inclusive and equitable society.