UN Women’s flagship programme ‘SheLeads’ builds the capacities and networks of women leaders to advance 33% Women’s Political Representation
Chandigarh, 20 August 2026:
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Sardar Kultar Singh Sandhwan today addressed women leaders from various parts of the state at the UN Women SheLeads States Workshop. In his opening address, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said, “Women leaders like you are not only change-makers in your communities but are critical to shaping policies and governance that reflect the aspirations of all citizens.”
SheLeads is a dedicated programme that builds capacities and networks for women in public and political life. This cohort of 47 participants included grass-roots change-makers, elected representatives, and administrators from across Punjab.
Sandhwan said that the Punjab edition of SheLeads marks the scaling of the initiative to states women leaders were selected for this two-day residential workshop from 117 applications.
The national-level workshops were first convened in February 2025, SheLeads I drew 29 women leaders from 19 states; SheLeads II (August 2025) hosted 36 women leaders from 22 states; and SheLeads III (October 2025) brought together 29 participants selected from 700+ applications, he added.
The programme has transitioned from a pilot workshop to a flagship intervention enabling UN Women India to scale the initiative to states. State-level SheLeads workshops have previously been conducted in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, with Punjab hosting the third edition.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon’ble Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development of Punjab, Dr. Baljit Kaur, said: “The world is governed by social norms, which are not fair to either men or women, so we need to reimagine the world, and I urge you to lead that change!”
Special Guest of Honour, Dr. Sandeep Singh Kaura, Chevening Fellow from the University of Oxford and a nationally recognised expert in Skill Development, said: “Women’s political leadership is not only about representation; it is about bringing diverse perspectives, lived experiences and inclusive priorities into decision-making. SheLeads is an important platform to build the confidence, capacities and networks that women need to lead effectively and shape the future of governance.”
Encouraging more women to participate in political and public life, Deputy Representative, UN Women India Country Office, Smt. Kanta Singh, shared: “Every woman is a leader; we need an ecosystem that enables that leadership.”
