SCO Women’s Forum 2026 Held in Bishkek

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Women’s Forum 2026 was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, on 26 June 2026. The forum brought together SCO member countries for discussions on women’s leadership, gender equality, and women’s participation in social and economic life.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian intergovernmental grouping founded in 2001. Its members include China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Women-Led Development in India

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi addressed the forum through video message. India presented women-led development as a policy approach linked with women’s safety, nutrition, and economic participation. India cited a network of 100 million women in more than 9 million Self-Help Groups. The government also referred to the Lakhpati Didi initiative, under which more than 30 million women have reached an annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh.

Key Indian Programmes

Mission Shakti is an umbrella scheme for women’s safety, security, and empowerment. Mission Poshan 2.0 is a nutrition-related programme that covers women, adolescent girls, and children through integrated nutrition services. These programmes are linked with institutional support for women’s health, livelihoods, and social participation. Self-Help Groups in India are community-based collectives that provide savings, credit, and livelihood support to women.

Important Facts for Exams

• The SCO Women’s Forum 2026 was hosted by Kyrgyzstan, which held the rotating chair of the organisation in 2026.
• Shen Yiqin is China’s State Councilor and president of the All-China Women’s Federation.
• The SCO Development Strategy until 2035 refers to cooperation on women’s rights and women’s political, economic, and social status.
• Mission Shakti and Mission Poshan 2.0 are Indian government programmes linked with women’s welfare and nutrition.

SCO Cooperation on Women’s Issues

The SCO framework includes cooperation on social development, public welfare, and people-to-people exchanges among member states. Women’s forums under multilateral groupings are used for policy exchange on education, livelihoods, health, and representation.