Chandigarh/Mohali, August 20:
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Punjab Cabinet Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, today addressed women leaders from across the state at the UN Women SheLeads States
Workshop, encouraging them to take a leading role in public life and contribute towards inclusive and sustainable development.
Addressing the gathering, Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that women leaders are not only agents of change in their communities but also play a crucial role in shaping policies and governance systems that reflect the aspirations and needs of all citizens. He emphasised that greater participation of women in democratic institutions strengthens governance and ensures wider representation in decision-making processes.
Delivering the keynote address, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that many social norms continue to create barriers for equal opportunities for both women and men. She stressed the need to reimagine society with a more inclusive approach and urged women leaders to come forward and lead the change.
Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Punjab Government is committed to women empowerment, their social and economic advancement, and ensuring greater participation of women in decision-making processes across all spheres.
‘SheLeads’ is a flagship programme of UN Women aimed at strengthening the leadership capacities and networks of women engaged in public and political life. The programme provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing and interaction with experts to enable women leaders to effectively shape governance and policies.
The Punjab edition of the SheLeads States Workshop witnessed participation of 47 women leaders from across the state, including grassroots change-makers, elected representatives and administrators. The participants were selected from 117 applications received for the two-day residential workshop.
The Punjab edition marks the expansion of the SheLeads initiative to state level. Earlier, state-level SheLeads workshops were conducted in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, with Punjab hosting the third edition.
The national-level SheLeads workshops commenced in February 2025. SheLeads-I brought together 29 women leaders from 19 states, SheLeads-II hosted 36 women leaders from 22 states, while SheLeads-III brought together 29 participants selected from over 700 applications.
Special Guest of Honour Dr. Sandeep Singh Kaura, Chevening Fellow from the University of Oxford and nationally recognised expert in Skill Development, said that women’s political leadership is not merely about representation but about bringing diverse perspectives, lived experiences and inclusive priorities into decision-making. He added that SheLeads provides an important platform to build confidence, capacities and networks among women leaders.
Encouraging greater participation of women in political and public life, Deputy Representative, UN Women India Country Office, Kanta Singh, said that every woman has leadership potential and society needs to create an ecosystem that enables and nurtures that leadership.
Women continue to remain underrepresented in decision-making positions globally. The need to promote women’s political leadership has gained importance as countries work towards achieving gender equality and inclusive governance.
In this context, India’s Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), providing for reservation of at least 33% seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women, is a landmark step towards increasing women’s political participation.
Research has also highlighted that women’s leadership strengthens governance outcomes. Studies on Panchayats in India have found that areas governed by women-led councils witnessed significant improvements in development initiatives, including higher numbers of drinking water projects.
Through evidence-based approaches, UN Women has developed the ‘SheLeads Workshop for Women Leaders’ as a dedicated platform to build leadership capacities and cultivate networks of women leaders across India. The programme brings together grassroots leaders, elected representatives and administrators to share experiences, engage with experts and strengthen leadership skills.
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to advancing women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. It works towards creating an equal world by supporting improvements in laws, institutions, social practices and services to close gender gaps.