MoWCD Holds National Workshop to Drive Reforms in Social Welfare & Security

The Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) convened a high-level Consultative Workshop on Identifying Reform Measures in Social, Welfare & Security Sectors on 9th September. The event, chaired by Sh. Anil Malik, Secretary, MoWCD, brought together senior representatives and delegations from States and Union Territories, underscoring the ministry’s commitment to inclusive policy-making through active collaboration with stakeholders at the grassroots level.

Focus on Flagship Missions

The workshop primarily revolved around reforms under the ministry’s flagship initiatives:

• Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0: Discussions emphasized strengthening nutrition delivery systems and improving Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The focus was on modernizing Anganwadi services, enhancing monitoring mechanisms, and addressing gaps in nutrition interventions to ensure children’s health and cognitive development.

• Mission Shakti: Aimed at women’s safety, security, and empowerment, this mission was a central point of deliberation. States and UTs shared proposals for legislative, institutional, and technological reforms that could help prevent violence against women, expand access to helplines and shelters, and promote gender-sensitive policing.

• Mission Vatsalya: Participants highlighted measures to ensure the holistic development and protection of children. Proposals ranged from strengthening adoption procedures and childcare institutions to expanding outreach programs for vulnerable children and ensuring their rights are safeguarded through effective implementation of existing laws.

Collaborative Policy-Making

Secretaries and officials from all States and UTs contributed valuable inputs on legislative, policy, process, and institutional reforms. Their suggestions were geared toward:

• Enhancing last-mile service delivery so that government welfare benefits reach the most vulnerable women and children without delays.

• Strengthening convergence among departments dealing with health, education, law enforcement, and community welfare.

• Encouraging community participation, recognizing that grassroots engagement is crucial for the success of social sector schemes.

The workshop emphasized innovative models of service delivery, use of digital platforms for monitoring, and the importance of capacity building for field-level workers such as Anganwadi staff, social workers, and law enforcement officials engaged in child and women protection.

Reaffirming Commitment to Women and Child-Centric Growth

The consultative workshop highlighted MoWCD’s vision of a “women and child first” approach. By creating a platform for cross-learning between States and UTs, the ministry reaffirmed its commitment to:

• Building responsive, resilient, and reform-driven institutions.

• Addressing nutrition security, women’s safety and empowerment, and children’s development and protection in a holistic manner.

• Ensuring that reforms are not just policy-driven but also community-owned and people-centric.

Way Forward

The outcome of the workshop will feed into a broader framework of social sector reforms, aligning with the government’s vision of inclusive and sustainable growth. The MoWCD emphasized that the success of these reforms lies in collaborative federalism, where both the Centre and States work hand in hand to strengthen welfare mechanisms.

By fostering dialogue, encouraging innovation, and prioritizing women and children in the reform agenda, the ministry has taken another significant step toward ensuring that social welfare and security systems are robust, inclusive, and future-ready.