CyberPeace Foundation launches Digital Shakti 5.0 with NCW to train 10 lakh women

CyberPeace Foundation (CPF) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) launched the fifth phase of its Digital Shakti Campaign to digitally empower and upskill women and girls in cyberspace.

According to a press release, the CyberPeace Foundation has established responders in each state under this programme that will provide training to women and girls in digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, etc.

The launch was attended by Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, NCW; Sanjay Seth, LokSabha MP from Ranchi, Jharkhand; SP Singh Bhaghel, Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy; Major Vineet Kumar, Founder and Global President, CyberPeace Foundation; and Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, NCW.

“Despite India being on the verge of becoming the third-largest power in the world, women still face struggles in all fields. The gender gap remains significant, with only 43% of women in the science field, falling short of the desired 50%," said Rekha Sharma.

Digital Shakti was started in 2018 at Punjab University, in collaboration with CPF, to introduce women to the digital era to enhance their skills. So far, the initiative has trained six lakh women on how to be safe in the digital world. "In this phase, we aim to increase that number to 10 lakh," Sharma added.

Congratulating on the programme's first four phases, SP Singh Bhaghel said, "It's truly inspiring to see how Digital Shakti has already made a significant impact, and I am filled with gratitude knowing that this initiative will continue to empower women across our nation."

The launch was followed by a panel discussion on “Empowering women through cyber skills: Bridging the gender gap in Tech and AI”, which addressed the need to look at gender gaps from all tangents and provide a whole approach to ensure equal participation of women.

The second panel, “Cyber Wellness and Mental Health: Addressing the psychological impact of cyber threats”, focused on the psychological impact of cyber threats, exploring strategies to promote cyber wellness, skilling, and mental health among women.

Experts also discussed the importance of mental resilience and the need for support systems to help women cope with the psychological challenges posed by cyber threats.

Digital Shakti helps women increase their awareness on the digital front, build resilience, and fight cybercrime in the most effective ways. It has reached over 6.86 lakh netizens through direct sessions and over 2.67 crore individuals through online mediums.

In its first phase, the programme sensitised over 60,000 participants, reached 105,000 participants in its second phase, and educated 150,000 women and girls in the third phase. Digital Shakti 4.0, which started in November 2022, has already reached more than 500,000 women.