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| Event Start Date: August 13, 2025 | Event End Date: August 13, 2025 | Event Venue: India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi |
“Together for a Safer Tomorrow”
Venue: Seminar Hall 1,2,3, First Floor, Kamaladevi Complex, India International Centre (IIC), 40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi 110003
VAWG National Conference at New Delhi
The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, with support from the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, is conducting a nationwide study titled “Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms Combating Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)” across five states in India—Goa, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. The project aims to assess the current landscape of VAWG, identify key challenges and policy gaps, and propose strategies to strengthen institutional responses. Through a multifaceted campaign, it will engage stakeholders—including civil society, NGOs, law enforcement, the judiciary, and community groups—to enhance coordination, share best practices, and promote effective, sustainable approaches to prevention, response, and recovery.
As part of its engagement efforts, we organized five 2-day workshops during July and August in the five respective states involved in the study—at Panjim, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, and Ranchi. It brought together diverse stakeholders to examine systemic challenges, share regional and institutional insights, and collaboratively develop strategies to strengthen responses to VAWG. The interactive sessions focused on technical, policy, and implementation aspects, facilitating knowledge exchange and practical solutions through expert-led discussions and group activities.
As a final round-off on the study, CPPR is holding a national conference in New Delhi on 13 August 2025, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (Government of India), for facilitating conversations and initiating action to strengthen institutional capacities in the prevention of VAWG. We also aim to tackle the broader challenges present in the provision of comprehensive services to survivors, who are also an integral part of the broader campaign in sharing their journey and advocating against VAWG. The campaign approach will be inclusive of various aspects like prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery from VAWG.
Various stakeholders from the five states and the national capital will convene for the discussions. This includes members from the civil society, NGOs, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and other community groups to understand areas of coordination among stakeholders so as to produce desired change on the ground. It also aims to be a platform to share various best practices in fighting VAWG and identify commonalities in their efforts to counter the same in India.
AGENDA
Tuesday, 13 August, 2025
09:00 a.m. — Registration Opens
09:30 a.m. — Inaugural Ceremony
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- Welcome Remarks & Overview of Project: Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman, CPPR
- Inauguration & Remarks by Chief Guest: Shri Bharat Parashar, Member Secretary, National Legal Services Authority, Delhi
- Vote of Thanks: Ms Anu Maria Francis, Senior Associate (Research and Project Management), CPPR
10.15 a.m. — Session 1: Roundtable Discussion
“Translating Policy into Practice: Strengthening Systems and Institutional Accountability”
Key Experts
- Ms Akhila Sivadas, Managing Trustee & Executive Director, CFAR (Centre for Advocacy and Research)
- Prof. (Dr.) Saumya Uma, Professor, & Head, Centre for Women’s Rights, Jindal Global Law School
- Ms Shalini Singh, Team Lead, India Programs and Resources, CREA
- Dr Lad Kumari Jain, Former Chairperson, Rajasthan State Commission for Women
- Dr Bornali Bhandari, Professor, NCAER, Delhi
- Ms Geeta Nambisan, Acting Director, Jagori
- Prof Kanchan Mathur, Independent Consultant & Professor (Former), Institute of Development Studies
- Mr Deepak Maheshwari, Senior Policy Advisor, Centre for Social & Economic Progress
- Rachna Chaudhary, Ph.D, Associate Professor (Gender Studies), School of Human Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi
- Ms Mukta Naik, Policy Lead, National Institute of Urban Affairs
11.30 am — Coffee Break
11.45 a.m. — Session 2: Roundtable Discussion
“Strengthening Community-Led and Survivor-Centric Models”
Key Experts
- Mr Harish Sadani, Hon. Secretary & Chief Functionary, MAVA (Mumbai)
- Ms P Jamuna, Advisor, SERP Telangana
- Ms Noopur Gunjan Ekka, State Nodal for Gender Mainstreaming, Jharkhand Livelihood Promotion Society
- Ms Brinda Adige, Director, Global Concerns India
- Ms Rwitee Mandal, Senior Urban Designer, Safetipin, Delhi
- Dr Anita Brandon, Professor in charge for Capacity Building of PRIs; State Nodal Officer, PRI Training, SIRD-Rajasthan.
- Dr Padma Deosthali, Senior Director, ICRW
- Ms Jayna Kothari, Executive Director, Centre for Law & Policy Research
1:00 p.m. — Lunch
2.00 p.m. — Session 3: Roundtable Discussion
“Digital Violence, Digital Solutions: Tackling Tech-Based VAWG”
Key Experts
- Ms Sonali Vyas, Director (Program and Operations), Safetipin
- Sqn Ldr Parul Tiwari, CyberPeace Foundation
- Adv Renjini Rajagopalan, Research Lead, JustJobs.org