At the Tamil Nadu Global Women Summit 2026 in Chennai on January 27, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin unveiled the Tamil Nadu Women Employment and Safety (TNWESafe) Project along with a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program. He emphasized the government’s commitment to building infrastructure that supports education, employment, entrepreneurship, and a secure environment for women.
The TNWESafe Project, funded by a World Bank loan, aims to foster sustainable and inclusive economic development through targeted interventions in employment, safety, and empowerment of women. The five-year initiative, with a budget of ₹5,000 crore, includes a ₹1,185 crore loan from the World Bank. M.K. Stalin highlighted various measures taken by his administration to promote women’s welfare and empowerment.
The HPV vaccination initiative targets 3,38,649 girls over the age of 14, starting in four districts: Ariyalur, Dharmapuri, Perambalur, and Tiruvannamalai. A total of 30,209 girls in these districts will receive the vaccine. M.K. Stalin also mentioned the ‘Wellness on Wheels’ initiative, which began last November, providing free breast cancer screenings across all 38 districts.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi M.K. Stalin praised the Tamil Nadu government’s efforts to enhance women’s safety and growth through the TNWESafe Project. World Bank Regional Director Cem Mete highlighted the project’s focus on care services, safety, and housing as crucial for removing barriers to quality employment for women. He noted that the WESafe model could serve as an innovative framework for other regions.
Industrialist Mallika Srinivasan stressed the importance of employment and entrepreneurship as pathways to income, agency, and dignity for women. She called for improved infrastructure and industry-aligned educational curricula to address the underrepresentation of women in vocational training. The Chief Minister also released the Tamil Nadu Cancer Care Mission document, outlining strategies to reduce cancer mortality over the next five years.
Earlier in the day, M.K. Stalin inaugurated additional pink buses and autorickshaws. The event was attended by Ministers T.M. Anbarasan, P. Geetha Jeevan, Ma. Subramanian, Chennai Mayor R. Priya, elected representatives, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam, and senior officials.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, January 28th, 2026
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