India highlighted its women-led Panchayati Raj model and grassroots governance reforms at the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting held in Kochi under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.
Chairing the panel discussion on “Advancing Women’s Leadership at the Grassroots,” Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, showcased India’s efforts to strengthen women’s participation in local decision-making and promote inclusive development.
Bharadwaj emphasised the transformative role of women representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions, noting that 25 of the 42 Gram Panchayats recognised for excellence under the National Panchayat Awards last year were led by women.
Highlighting the Ministry’s Sashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan, he stated that nearly 1.5 lakh elected women representatives have been trained since its launch in March 2025 to enhance leadership skills and improve local governance outcomes.
He also highlighted the initiative to establish a Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat in every district, with 744 Gram Panchayats being developed with UNFPA support as examples of gender-responsive governance focused on health, education, nutrition, safety and inclusive services.
Sharing India’s governance innovations, Bharadwaj spoke about the localisation of Sustainable Development Goals through nine citizen-centric themes and the use of the Panchayat Advancement Index, based on nearly 150 indicators, to promote data-driven planning and sustainable development at the village level.
The session featured perspectives from policymakers and grassroots leaders, including representatives from Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, who shared experiences of advancing women’s leadership through decentralised governance.
The discussions reaffirmed the BRICS countries’ shared commitment to empowering women leaders and strengthening grassroots institutions as drivers of inclusive and sustainable development.
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