The Ministry of Women and Child Development organized a National Conference on Women’s Safety at the Workplace (SHe-Box) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, reaffirming the government’s commitment to creating safe and respectful work environments for women across the country.
Union Minister Annapurna Devi launched the SHe-Box logo, POSH voluntary compliance checklist, integration of SHe-Box with the Mission Shakti App, and the Karmayogi Bharat POSH training link on the SHe-Box portal. A National Workplace Safety Pledge was also administered to strengthen collective commitment toward ensuring dignity and security for women at workplaces nationwide.
Broad Participation and Institutional Progress
The conference was attended by Minister of State Savitri Thakur, Members of Parliament including Sudhanshu Trivedi, Rekha Sharma, Lovely Anand, and Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya, along with senior officials, representatives of internal and local committees, industry leaders, civil society members, and international organizations.
In his welcome address, Ministry Secretary Anil Malik highlighted institutional progress under the SHe-Box initiative, noting that over 150,000 workplaces have been onboarded and local committees are active in every district, establishing a nationwide safety framework. He also pointed out that women’s labour force participation has reached about 42 percent, with over 80 percent of women working in the informal sector, underscoring the need for wider coverage and protection.
Safe Workplace Key to Equality and Growth
In her keynote address, Minister Annapurna Devi emphasized that workplace safety for women is not just a legal requirement but a symbol of the nation’s commitment to justice and equality. She stated that more than 148,000 institutions are registered on the SHe-Box portal and over 60,000 internal committees are functioning actively. Over the past six years, women’s labour force participation has risen from 23 percent to 42 percent, indicating a decisive shift toward women-led development.
