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NAVNIET SEKERA, LUCKNOW CATEGORY: GENDER EQUALITY (MALE)

Navniet Sekera has been a pioneer in furthering gender equality and improving women’s safety. As a high-flying officer in the Indian Police Service (IPS), he created the woman Power Line (WPL) instead of taking up a conventionally prestigious position as Inspector General in charge of a zone or intelligence or crime. Sekera identified the issue of sexual harassment before the infamous 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case. Sekera is not only a visionary who identified the root of the problem of sexual harassment but is also a doer, who created WPL as an exemplar not only for other states but also for other countries facing the same problem. Sekera conducted extensive surveys among women who told him what WPL needed to be. Women wanted a dedicated platform they could reach out to that was secure, supportive, discreet and, above all, would act swiftly. Sekera delivered unprecedented tangible results. The number of recorded cases jumped a dramatic 104 times, demonstrating that WPL had won the confidence of women in Uttar Pradesh. Between November 15, 2012 and February 30, 2018, WPL registered 9,18,478 complaints and solved 9,08,535 of them, achieving a success rate of a staggering 98.92%. Sekera also created a strong task force of over 46,000 special police officers called “Power Angels”. Girls in schools and colleges can apply to be Power Angels. They encourage other women to report sexual harassment, ensuring their safety and improving gender equality.

NOMINATED BY ATUL SINGH AND HIMANSHU RAI