DW BUREAU / Chandigarh The Punjab government is all set to join hands with various United Nations and other global agencies to scale its efforts to empower and protect women, with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh slated to launch eight special initiatives to mark the International Women's Day. The initiatives scheduled for launch on Monday include appointment letters for 2407 Master Cadre women teachers as well as Sanja Shakti helpdesks and 181 Sanjh Shakti helpline for women at all police stations, with women operators to predominantly man the same for prompt and sensitive response to crimes against women. An official spokesperson said the pro-women initiatives would be launched virtually by the Chief Minister from Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh, with simultaneous programmes at District Headquarters and block levels across Punjab. Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Aruna Chaudhary will join the main launch event with other Ministers and MLAs. On the occasion, the Chief Minister would also personally hand over appointment letters to some of the newly recruited women teachers in the Master Cadre in the School Education Department. A total of 2407 women teachers across the State will be given the letters. According to an official spokesperson, the state government's collaboration with international agencies was aimed at safeguarding women from crimes, protecting their rights and introducing gender sensitization curriculum in school syllabus. The agencies with which the state is set to join hands include UN Women, UNDP (United Nations Development Fund), UN Population Fund, J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) and FUEL (Friends Union for Energizing Lives). The collaboration would focus on enhancement of skill training for women, identification and enhancement of employability for them, capacity building, and elimination of the Anemia disease. The MoU with UN Women would initiate gender-focused projects, capacity building of the state on gender, economic empowerment of women and violence against women. The State Government is also launching Technical Fest (Techshiksha) with UN Women, under which the shortlisted girls will undergo a training programme besides providing placements to them. The MoU with UN Population Fund is being signed for capacity building of State Departments, besides elimination of gender-based harmful practices such as violence against women and girls, and gender-based sex selection. The Punjab Government will initiate partnership with UNDP to eliminate anemia & malnutrition among women & children. The MoU with J-PAL would further boost gender sensitization curriculum program in all government schools, while the MoU with FUEL will impart skills to the youth in line with the Ghar Ghar Rozgaar scheme. These initiatives are part of the Captain Amarinder Singh government's women empowerment focus, which it has consistently augmented over the past 4 years. In a landmark move, the state government has already provided 33% reservation in Government Jobs, and 50% reservation in elections to Panchayats and Municipal Bodies. (editor@dailyworld.in)