Outcome IND_D_1.2

By 2027, a strengthened and more coordinated, inclusive and accountable governance system is in place at the national and local levels enabling all people, especially most marginalised and vulnerable, to be protected, empowered, engaged, and enjoy human rights and social justice, and lead their lives with respect and dignity.

UN Women India Country Office (ICO), through its Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) work at central and state levels, has scaled up and increased the coverage of GRB initiatives to 44 central ministries/departments and six new states. The ICO's strategy to institutionalize the GRB mechanism at both the national and sub-national levels has resulted in significant outcomes, including partnerships with the nodal Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) and the establishment of a project management unit (PMU) . This unit has contributed to and supported the gender budget analysis of 44 ministries , with 22 new ministries joining the GRB journey. Capacity Building : Government partners at national and sub-national levels have enhanced their knowledge and skills in gender budgeting through a series of trainings and workshops. Adoption of Gender Budgeting : Six states (Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand) have adopted and institutionalized Gender Budgeting in their state policies. Two new states, Bihar and Tamil Nadu, have also agreed to implement this initiative in the next financial year. The ICO has made significant strides in advancing women’s safety and gender equality through strategic collaborations and impactful initiatives across the country. On September 11, 2024, UN Women participated as an observer in a high-level meeting chaired by the Minister of Women and Child Development to review the utilization of the Nirbhaya Fund , promoting accountability and effective implementation of safety measures. In Uttarakhand, UN Women supported the Department of Tourism in submitting a proposal under the Nirbhaya Fund to enhance women’s safety in tourism supply chains, setting a precedent for gender-responsive tourism initiatives . Demonstrating its leadership in advocacy, the UN Women Country team partnered with the MWCD to co-design and launch the #AbKoiBahanaNahi national campaign during the 16 Days of Activism 2024, addressing gender-based violence through a multi-sectoral approach. In Madhya Pradesh, UN Women provided technical support to the ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’ campaign , led by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, where 25 government departments united to prevent crimes against women and children, driving coordinated action from November 25 to December 10, 2024. The campaign launch event on November 25, 2024, featuring Hon'ble Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi has garnered significant attention and discussion on social media platforms, with 531 media mentions, 142 million reach. Further strengthening urban safety, the ICO presented findings and an action plan on women’s safety at a task force meeting chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in September 2024, engaging Secretaries of Line Departments to advance policies and interventions. These efforts highlight UN Women’s pivotal role in fostering systemic reforms , enabling safer public spaces, and addressing gender-based violence through collaborative governance and evidence-based strategies.

By 2027, a strengthened and more coordinated, inclusive, and accountable governance system is in place at the national and local levels enabling all people, especially most marginalised and vulnerable, to be protected, empowered, engaged, and enjoy human rights and social justice, and lead their lives with respect and dignity.

The work on Gender Responsive Budgeting, Inter- governmental processes and Ending violence agains t women has led to GEWE being integrated in governance processes including in the G20 Leader’s declaration of India. UN Women’s work through its various programmes has also resulted in creating significant change in the lives of women and girls by contributing to women emp owerment and growth in economic, social and hu m an develop ment along with strengthening c apacities of st ate and central institutions on gender analysis, safety and accessibility in services and gender-based violence. In 2023, UN Women ICO provided critical technical support to several state governments (Goa, Assam, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan), significantly enhancing institutional capacities for addressing violence against women (VAW). Key impacts included: Enhancing Governance Capacities and Institutional Frameworks: Quality inputs in governmental processes, SDG and policy level interventions, developing a framework and facilitating training needs of governments and other stakeholders connected to schemes and policies. Development of roadmaps and facilitation of training needs for government functionaries. India's classification of domestic violence shelter and support services as “essential” post-COVID-19, with 708 One-Stop-Crisis centers remaining operational, aiding over 540,000 women across 35 states and Union Territories. Approval of 758 One Stop Centres in 734 districts nationwide. Adoption of Mission Shakti guidelines to offer survivors of gender-based violence integrated support to facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services, including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support. Training of 973 first-hand responders in understanding gender-based violence and case management. Outreach to 13,144 women workers in Assam's tea sector for health, wellness, and safety programs. Collaboration with SEWA BHARAT for cash-for-care initiatives in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, benefiting 900 women with cash transfers. Significant contributions to policy development and capacity building in various Indian states, as evidenced by: In Kerala, the revision of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy, a major milestone in promoting gender equity, with its final version set to be released in March 2024. In Rajasthan, the impact of UN Women’s study on Mahila Shakti Kendras [1] (MSKs) and One Stop Centers (OSCs) led to a substantial increase in the number of MSKs from 41 to 246. This expansion marks a significant advancement in the state's commitment to women's empowerment and support services. In Punjab, the country office conducted a rapid assessment study for OSCs in Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts, at the request of the Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development. The study culminated in a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations, which was presented to the Department. UN Women built the capacities of 465 government officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, 440 government officials from 20 Departments and 11 Implementing Partners of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, 359 government officials from Kerala, and 140 government officials from Rajeevika Rajasthan, on effective implementation of Prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplace, Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal. Strengthening Safety and Advocacy: The country office’s advocacy work and safety initiatives included: Partnerships with Pracademic Lab, Police Department of Madhya Pradesh, and the Tourism Department of Uttarakhand for enhancing women’s safety in tourism destinations. The 16 days of Activism campaign (#AbkoibahanaNahi) reached 1,130 participants through health camps, 271 through art competitions, and registered substantial social media engagement (with 4.28 million reach and 19.3 million impressions). Technological Innovation for Support: Regular monitoring and testing ensured the effectiveness of the Sambal Chatbot, a supportive tool for survivors of violence and their allies. UN Women country office launched SAMBAL on the UN Regional Office website on 29th November 2022. The app is a repository of resources and tools to address violence against women. It has been specifically designed to close the information gap for survivors and allies, and help them understand and navigate various issues related to such violence, such as mental health, medical needs, and legal procedures. Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) Achievements: U N Women India through its GRB work at central and state level w as able to scale the outreach for GRB engagement to more central m inistries/departments and at state level to 6 new states . UNW ICO strategy is to institutionalise the GRB mechanism at both the levels effectively . One of the significant outcomes of the partnerships of the GRB work by UN Women ICO was the establishment of the project management unit (PMU), at the central nodal ministry- MWCD; which has contributed and supported gender budget analysis of 43 ministries. Government partners at national and sub-national levels gained enhanced knowledge and skills in gender budgeting. Four states (Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Manipur) adopted and institutionalized Gender Budgeting in state policies, marking a significant step in mainstreaming gender in fiscal policies and practices. Inter-Governmental Processes: providing key advisory support to the Government of India on normative frameworks and addressing crucial gender issues in line with the 2030 Agenda. UN Women in India has been at the forefront of advancing global commitments for gender equality and women’s empowerment/GEWE. ICO collaborated with several ministries and intergovernmental bodies, for providing technical advisory and support to integrate gender considerations into critical G20 priority areas, through its contribution as: The New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, a landmark move under India's G20 presidency, which further highlights the G20 leaders' unequivocal commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment across key parameters, including education (particularly science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), emerging digital technologies, women's entrepreneurship, labour force participation, gender pay gap, care infrastructure, gender-based violence, workplace safety, and financial inclusion, using a life-continuum and "whole of society" approach. The creation of a Working Group on Empowerment of Women is another substantial outcome of ICO during the India's G20 leadership. Continued advocacy from the highest levels of the organization, through the UN Women Deputy Executive Director’s Office, pushed for an increase in and adoption of gender-specific radical commitments at the New Delhi Summit. [1] Women’s Empowerment Centres