Why in News
- The National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025 revealed serious gaps in women’s safety in Delhi, 13 years after the 2012 Nirbhaya case.
- Delhi ranked 28th out of 31 cities on the safety index, ahead only of Kolkata, Srinagar, and Ranchi.
Relevance: GS II (Polity – Fundamental Rights: Articles 14, 15, 21; Social Justice – Women safety, Nirbhaya Fund, Urban Governance, Law enforcement, Criminal Law), GS III (Social Issues – Gender equality, SDG 5, Urban development)
Basics
- NARI Index 2025: Conducted by Pvalue Analytics, ideated with the National Commission for Women (NCW).
- Survey Size: 12,770 women across 31 Indian cities.
- Indicators: Women-friendly infrastructure, harassment experiences, policing, perceptions of safety (day vs. night).
Key Findings of NARI Report (2025)
- Infrastructure gaps: 31% of Delhi women said women-friendly infrastructure was minimal/non-existent.
- Safety perception: 8% unsafe during day; 35% unsafe at night.
- Harassment:
- National avg: 7% women faced harassment in public spaces.
- Delhi: 12% (highest disparity).
- 61% of victims faced harassment more than twice → failure to deter repeat offenders.
- Unsafe spaces:
- Neighbourhood areas (34%) most unsafe.
- Transport facilities (32%).
- Deserted/unlit areas cited as key reasons for fear.
- Demands from women:
- 51% → stronger policing.
- 17% → timely police action.
Overview
Constitutional & Legal Dimension
- Article 14: Equality before law.
- Article 15(3): State can make special provisions for women.
- Article 21: Right to life includes dignity and safety.
- Laws enacted post-2012:
- Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 – expanded definitions of sexual offences.
- Justice Verma Committee Report (2013) – recommended police reforms, faster trials, gender sensitisation.
- Nirbhaya Fund (2013) – financial support for women’s safety initiatives.
Governance & Policing Dimension
- Poor enforcement of CCTV coverage, street lighting, police patrolling.
- Low trust in police action (timeliness, sensitivity).
- Underutilisation of Nirbhaya Fund – CAG reports flag delays.
- Need for smart policing (apps, helplines, gender desks in police stations).
Social Dimension
- Patriarchal attitudes → normalisation of harassment.
- Underreporting due to stigma, fear of reprisal.
- Safety concerns reduce women’s mobility, education, and workforce participation.
Urban Planning Dimension
- Lack of gender-sensitive urban infrastructure:
- Poor street lighting.
- Isolated bus stops, unsafe last-mile connectivity.
- Inadequate public toilets for women.
- Safe Cities Mission (2018) exists but patchy implementation.
Economic Dimension
- Unsafe environments reduce women’s participation in the economy (India’s female LFPR ~37% in 2024).
- Impacts productivity, urban growth, and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Comparative Perspective
- Cities like Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Aizawl, Mumbai ranked better due to stronger community policing, civic culture, and infrastructure.
- Delhi, despite being the national capital, lags behind, raising credibility concerns.
Static Knowledge
- Schemes/Initiatives:
- Nirbhaya Fund (2013).
- Safe City Project under Nirbhaya Fund – being implemented in 8 metro cities.
- One Stop Centres (OSCs) – for violence survivors.
- Women Helpline (181).
- SHE Teams (Telangana model).
- Judicial Cases:
- Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) – workplace harassment guidelines.
- Laxmi v. Union of India (2014) – acid attack regulations.
- Nirbhaya case (2012–2020) – strengthened criminal law framework.
Way Forward
- Urban Safety Audits: Gender-sensitive city planning (lighting, transport, toilets).
- Policing Reforms: Increase women in police force (current ~11%), fast-track women’s safety cases.
- Technology Integration: Panic apps, AI surveillance, predictive policing.
- Community Participation: Involve RWAs, NGOs, student groups in monitoring.
- Education & Sensitisation: Change in public attitudes through awareness campaigns.
- Effective Utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund with transparent monitoring.
