By Fr Bento D’Souza & Ms Ankita Shelke for BIS Mumbai

Ahilyanagar: The WELEAD Regional Networking Meet brought together 175 women from six partner Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at St Luke’s Auditorium, Shrirampur, creating a common platform for women leaders to share experiences, learn from one another and strengthen their participation in local governance.

The gathering was organised under WELEAD – Women Empowerment and Leadership for Effective Administration and Development, supported by Don Bosco Mondo and BMZ. Women representatives, elected women representatives, Sarpanches, Up-Sarpanches and members of the partner organisations participated in the day-long programme.

The programme began with registration and breakfast, followed by a welcome dance and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Participants were welcomed to the regional gathering, after which women serving as Sarpanches and Up-Sarpanches, along with invited guests, were felicitated in recognition of their leadership and contribution to their communities.

A significant part of the programme was dedicated to experience sharing by women and elected representatives. Rather than limiting the discussion to formal inputs, the gathering gave women an opportunity to speak about their own journeys. They shared the challenges they had encountered while taking up leadership roles, their experiences of participating in village-level decision-making, and the successes that had encouraged them to continue. These stories brought practical perspectives on women’s leadership and highlighted how confidence, awareness and collective support can strengthen participation in local governance.

The programme also included an input session by Mr Sabban on development, encouraging participants to reflect on the role of citizens and local leadership in the development of their villages. Fr George, Director of Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra (BGVK), addressed the gathering and encouraged the women to continue taking an active role in community processes and local governance.

An Elected Women Representatives’ learning circle provided further space for participants to exchange experiences and learn from one another. In the group activity “My Dream Village,” women collectively reflected on their aspirations for their villages and discussed the changes they would like to see in their communities. The groups subsequently presented their ideas, connecting local concerns with their own role as community members and leaders.

The day was made lively through folk songs centred on women’s empowerment, bringing local cultural expression into the discussions on leadership and participation. A specially designed photo booth also became an engaging space for participants, carrying the message “बदलाची सुरुवात माझ्यापासून” — Change begins with me.

The Regional Networking Meet concluded with a discussion on the way forward, reinforcing the importance of continued networking among the six partner CSOs. More than a formal gathering, the meeting created a shared space where women could listen to each other, recognise their collective experiences and return to their communities with renewed confidence to participate, lead and contribute to local development.

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