e-SafeHER Programme

e-SafeHER Programme

Context

In April 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched e-SafeHER, a nationwide cybersecurity training initiative. Developed in collaboration with C-DAC Hyderabad and the Reliance Foundation, the programme is designed to bridge the digital safety gap for women in rural India.

About the News

• What it is: A specialized Cyber Security Awareness Training Programme anchored under MeitY's Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) framework.
• The "Cyber Sakhi" Model: It operates on a peer-led, community-based model where trained women known as Cyber Sakhis (Cyber Friends), educate their peers on safe digital practices.
• Target: Empowering one million women across rural India over the next three years (by 2029).
• Initial Rollout: The programme begins with pilot phases in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha before scaling nationally.

Key Features

• Strategic Partnership: * C-DAC Hyderabad: Leads the development, localization, and multilingual adaptation of training materials and audio-visual modules.
  • Reliance Foundation: Leverages its extensive grassroots network and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to deliver the training in remote regions.
• Multilingual Localization: Content is adapted into multiple Indian languages to ensure it is culturally relevant and accessible to non-English speakers.
• Blended Learning: Uses a mix of structured technical training, community interventions, and audio-visual tools to drive measurable behavioral changes.
• Zero Parallel Infrastructure: The initiative integrates into existing digital literacy and women’s empowerment frameworks, ensuring sustainability without requiring new buildings or setups.

Significance

• Digital Inclusion vs. Digital Security: While digital access has increased, e-SafeHER ensures that inclusion is accompanied by safety, protecting women from financial fraud and identity theft.
• Economic Empowerment: By building confidence in digital transactions, the programme enables women to safely use digital platforms for micro-enterprises and livelihoods.
• Grassroots Resilience: Extends the national cybersecurity framework (Cyber Secure Bharat) to the last mile, turning rural women into the first line of defense against cyber threats in their communities.

Way Forward

• Evidence-Based Scaling: Insights and data from the initial rollout in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha will be used to refine the curriculum for the national expansion.
• Policy Integration: The goal is to integrate these safety modules into broader national digital literacy policies.
• Measuring Outcomes: Success will be measured by improved cyber-risk awareness and a tangible increase in the adoption of safe digital practices among participants.

Conclusion

The e-SafeHER programme marks a transition from simple digital literacy to digital agency. By transforming a million rural women into "Cyber Sakhis," the government is creating a sustainable, community-led defense mechanism that ensures India’s digital revolution remains safe, secure, and inclusive for its most vulnerable stakeholders.