Empowering Rural Women through AI: More than 2,500 Trained Under NCW’s ‘Yashoda AI’ Literacy Programme Since May 2025
Empowering Rural Women through AI: More than 2,500 Trained Under NCW’s ‘Yashoda AI’ Literacy Programme Since May 2025
In a giant leap in digital empowerment of rural India, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has launched a path-breaking initiative called the ‘Yashoda AI’ Literacy Programme, designed for the express purpose of increasing women’s awareness of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Launched in May 2025, this forward-thinking programme is designed to bridge the digital divide and ensure that women from rural and semi-urban areas are not left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
the program has trained around 2,500 women across the country, providing them with access to important training on AI, digital safety, cybersecurity, and online privacy, as part of NCW’s broader plan to advance gender parity and digital inclusion with targeted education programs.
This was delivered by Smt. Savitri Thakur, the Minister of State for Women and Child Development to the Rajya Sabha, during a session when she was asked a question about initiatives to improve digital literacy for women.
Focus on Grassroots: Targeting Rural Women Where It Counts
The Yashoda AI Literacy Program is focused on targeting women at the grassroots level, including villages, panchayats, and small towns. This is not general education, but rather concrete and applicable training on how AI technologies are becoming part of our everyday lives—whether in farming, health, governance, or education.
The program aims to reach out a myriad of community leaders & frontline workers including:
- Self-Help Group (SHG) Members
- ASHA and anganwadi workers
- Local elected representatives such as: Sarpanchs, pradhans, parshads, mayors, and MLAs
- Micro-entrepreneurs and small business owners
- Faculty/students from schools/colleges
- Government officials and police personnel
Engaging with a wide range of participants ensures that the desire effect or multiplier effect is in operation – women trained by the program can train other women in the community, leading to a chain of informed and digitally literate rural citizens.
Raising awareness of AI, safety, & digital rights
The initiative aims to demystify complicated digital concepts for all people regardless of education level. Women who are participating in the program will learn about:
- The fundamentals of AIs, how they work
- The impacts of AI on jobs, education, agriculture, and healthcare
- What women can do to promote basic cybersecurity to protect themselves and their community from fraud, scams, and data theft
- How to control digital privacy in social media and mobile devices
- Being responsible online
The program covers AI-related topics through informal and hands-on sessions, real-world case studies and lessons delivered in local languages, and simplifies AI topics to modules that are digestible and relevant to a rural and semi-urban context.
Catalysing Women-Led Change in Digital India
The success of the Yashoda AI Programme showcases a promising model for future digital literacy campaigns. By placing women at the centre of the AI revolution, NCW is enabling them to become active participants in India’s development journey, rather than passive observers.
This programme also aligns with the Government of India’s broader Digital India vision, which emphasizes the need for inclusive and equitable access to technology for all sections of society.
As rural women become more digitally literate, they are able to make better choices for themselves, their families and their community, whether that is signing up for government programs online, managing digital payments for their small businesses, or simply better educating their children, the benefit is obvious and widespread.
What’s Next?
The NCW intends to broaden Yashoda AI initiative to reach thousands more women across remote and underdeveloped areas over the next few months. With the right support and cooperation from state governments, local bodies, and NGOs, it is conceivable that the initiative itself could lead to a truly AI-aware, digitally confident rural India, with empowered women leading the way!
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