Chandigarh/Mohali, August 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Cabinet Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development Dr Baljit Kaur on Thursday called for greater participation of women in public and political life, saying women’s leadership is essential for strengthening democracy and advancing inclusive development.
They were addressing women leaders participating in the Punjab edition of the UN Women SheLeads States Workshop, a two-day residential programme aimed at strengthening the leadership capacities and networks of women involved in public and political life.
Sandhwan said women leaders were important agents of change within their communities and had a significant role in shaping policies and governance systems that reflected the needs and aspirations of citizens.
He emphasised that greater representation of women in democratic institutions would strengthen governance and broaden participation in decision-making.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Baljit Kaur said social norms continued to create barriers to equal opportunities for women and men. She called for a more inclusive social framework and urged women leaders to take the lead in driving change.
The minister said the Punjab government was committed to women’s empowerment, their social and economic advancement and increasing their participation in decision-making across sectors.
The Punjab edition of the SheLeads workshop brought together 47 women leaders, including grassroots change-makers, elected representatives and administrators. They were selected from 117 applications received for the two-day residential programme.
SheLeads is a flagship UN Women initiative designed to strengthen the leadership capabilities and networks of women engaged in public and political life. It provides opportunities for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and interaction with experts to help participants contribute more effectively to governance and policymaking.
The Punjab workshop is the third state-level edition of the initiative, following programmes in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. National-level SheLeads workshops began in February 2025. SheLeads-I brought together 29 women leaders from 19 states, SheLeads-II had 36 participants from 22 states, while SheLeads-III selected 29 participants from more than 700 applications.
Special Guest of Honour Dr Sandeep Singh Kaura, a Chevening Fellow from the University of Oxford and an expert in skill development, said women’s political leadership was about more than representation, as it brought diverse perspectives, lived experiences and inclusive priorities into decision-making.
He said SheLeads provided an important platform for women leaders to build confidence, strengthen capabilities and develop professional networks.
UN Women India Country Office Deputy Representative Kanta Singh said every woman had leadership potential and stressed the need for an ecosystem that could support and nurture women’s leadership.
The programme comes amid continuing concerns over women’s underrepresentation in decision-making positions globally. In India, the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, provides for reservation of at least 33 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women.
Research on women’s leadership in local governance in India has also indicated positive development outcomes. Studies of Panchayats have found improvements in development initiatives in areas governed by women-led councils, including a higher number of drinking water projects.
UN Women has developed the SheLeads workshop as an evidence-based platform to strengthen women’s leadership capacities and build networks among grassroots leaders, elected representatives and administrators across India.
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to advancing women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. It works to support improvements in laws, institutions, social practices and services aimed at reducing gender gaps.
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