Mission Shakti: How UP is expanding women's safety network

Uttar Pradesh has expanded Mission Shakti through policing, helplines, assistance centres and community outreach. The programme seeks to improve women's access to safety services, dignity and self-reliance.

In Short

• Launched in October 2020, the campaign initially united 23 government departments
• Over 44,000 women police personnel support local engagement across communities
• Mission Shakti Centres now operate at 1,663 police stations statewide

Uttar Pradesh's Mission Shakti has grown from a Navratri-linked awareness campaign launched in October 2020 into a wider programme covering police stations, public spaces, educational institutions, urban areas and villages across the state. It focuses on women's safety, dignity and empowerment through policing, public outreach and access to support services.

The programme combines law enforcement with awareness campaigns, legal assistance and measures to promote women's education, health and economic independence. Its initiatives include Anti-Romeo Squads, Pink Booths, Mission Shakti Centres, women beat officers and the Women Power Line 1090 helpline. The state has also planned cultural programmes at 26 temples and sacred sites during Sharadiya Navratri 2026 to extend the campaign's outreach.

What is Mission Shakti?

Mission Shakti was launched on 17 October 2020, coinciding with the first day of Sharadiya Navratri. The initial campaign brought together 23 government departments, including those responsible for basic, secondary and higher education, as well as micro, small and medium enterprises.

Initially planned as a six-month campaign lasting until Chaitra Navratri in April 2021, the initiative was organised around three broad objectives: women's safety, dignity and self-reliance.

It sought to increase awareness of women's rights, improve access to support services and strengthen action against harassment and violence. It also aimed to connect women with opportunities in education, healthcare, skills development and livelihoods.

How Mission Shakti works on the ground

Over successive phases, Mission Shakti has incorporated several policing and public outreach initiatives intended to make assistance more accessible to women in urban and rural areas.

Anti-Romeo Squads: These police teams focus on preventing the harassment of women in public places. In August 2025, the chief minister directed them to maintain a continuous presence in markets, educational institutions and other sensitive locations.

Pink Booths: Designed as accessible assistance points, Pink Booths provide facilities for registering complaints, counselling and obtaining legal advice. Ahead of Mission Shakti 5.0, the government directed that the booths, which were then operating only in Lucknow, be expanded to all 17 municipal corporation cities in Uttar Pradesh.

Women beat police: Uttar Pradesh has more than 44,000 women police personnel, according to government figures. Under the campaign, women beat officers were directed to be deployed across all gram panchayats and urban wards to strengthen local outreach and engagement with women. The coverage targets included approximately 57,000 gram panchayats and 14,000 urban wards.

Mission Shakti Centres: The state government says these centres have been established at 1,663 police stations. They are intended to provide women with a point of contact for assistance and information about available support services.

Women Power Line 1090: The helpline is another component of the campaign. The government has directed that calls received through the service be handled on a priority basis to help women seeking assistance.

Together, these measures are intended to connect women with police support and other services closer to the places where they live, study and work.

Mission Shakti 5.0 and its first 30 days

The fifth phase of Mission Shakti began on 22 September 2025 at the start of Sharadiya Navratri. According to figures released by the Uttar Pradesh government, more than 2,500 FIRs were registered during its first 30 days, while 3,972 people were arrested for anti-social behaviour.

Approximately 3.13 lakh people were warned and counselled about public conduct. Police also inspected 55,377 Navratri pandals and 4,947 Ramleela venues and fairgrounds.

Women's chaupals were organised at 39,911 locations and attracted more than 20.5 lakh participants, according to the government.

These figures reflect the enforcement and outreach activities reported by the state government. They indicate the scale of the campaign's implementation but do not, by themselves, establish its overall impact on women's safety.

Mission Shakti during Navratri 2026

For Sharadiya Navratri 2026, the Uttar Pradesh government has planned cultural programmes at 26 selected temples and sacred sites.

The programmes will include devotional singing and recitations of the Durga Saptashati, linking religious gatherings during the festival with the campaign's message of women's safety, dignity and empowerment.

By using temples and other prominent religious sites for public outreach, the government aims to take the campaign's message to wider audiences during the festival.

Scope of the programme

Mission Shakti's stated objective extends beyond policing and enforcement. The programme combines measures intended to prevent harassment, improve awareness of women's rights and make support services easier to access.

Its police initiatives, dedicated assistance centres, helplines and community outreach are intended to address women's safety at multiple levels, from public spaces to local communities.

The longer-term measure of the campaign's effectiveness will depend on whether women can access these services when needed, whether complaints receive timely responses and whether the initiatives lead to sustained improvements in safety, access to justice and opportunities for self-reliance.

Mission Shakti remains the Uttar Pradesh government's umbrella campaign linking women's safety with dignity, awareness and empowerment through policing, assistance services and community outreach across the state.

- Ends