Safety and security of women in India is a matter of serious concern. Some of the areas that need immediate attention for women to feel safe and secure are re-thinking of our own roles in shaping our society, opportunities for post-primary education for girls while ensuring their primary education, ensuring sexual and reproductive health of women, elimination of gender inequality and occupational segregation in employment, correct representation of women in media, speedy and fair justice system, societal and cultural shifts with respect to attitude towards women, inheritance of assets, single parenthood and rights about retaining your name, a zero tolerance policy and attitude in government, public, media and institutions on crimes and atrocities against women.

• Sensitising and capacity building of officials involved in mass media advocacy efforts with regard to gender profiling and mainstreaming.

• Re-vamping of women and girl child programmes.

• Skill Development and Entrepreneurship programmes for women.

• Redefining and upgrading the sexual crime code in the legislation.

• Increased representation of women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.

• Regulation and implementation of long pending judicial reforms and police reforms.

• Improvement of public transport to make it safe and secure for women.

• Popularising girls’ education and behaviour change communication through posters, banners, print, audio and AV media activities, with particular emphasis on dignity and respect for women.

• Construction of women’s toilets in accessible, safe and well lit spaces.

• Have all women police stations (at least 2-3 in each district) with gender specific domestic/ societal violence and rape crises helplines.

• Capacity building of mixed (men / women) teams for investigating and handling women specific matters.

• Increase police presence in vulnerable places in the city and educate them to be polite and respectful in inter-personnel communication involving women.

• Insensitive behaviour of cops in registering FIRs and acts like favouring the accused during the investigation process in heinous cases of rapes and gang rapes has led to lack of faith and trust in the police force among the public. There is a need to re-build the trust so that women are not afraid to reach out to them.

• Recruitment of women in larger numbers in the police force.

• Citizen friendly online services for reporting of crimes, immediate action, tracking and arrest of culprits.

• Development of training modules for capacity building and advocacy on issues of gender sensitivity and security of women.

• Modification of the school curriculum to include topics on gender equality, violence against women and women’s safety issues.

• Introduction of sex education in the current education system and sensitisation of students towards sexual crimes.

• Reaffirmation of value of women to society in workshops, seminars, open discussions and other programmes.

• Build awareness among women about their Constitutional rights.

• Roll out programmes like skill development for sustainable livelihoods and capacity building efforts

• Campaigns to create civic awareness across wide spectrum of society and sensitising them towards the issues of women safety, freedom and respect.

• Regular trainings, Nukkad Nataks, talks, radio shows etc.

• Periodical meetings/ discussions of civil society organisations working on women related issues with the local police.

• Training on self-defense/ martial arts for women in schools and colleges.

• Revamping of Criminal Justice Delivery System.

• Setting up of fast track courts and special courts for women besides increasing the number of judges.

• Depute women presiding officers of fast track courts dealing with sexual crimes against women.

• Taking stricter view of infanticides and foeticides.

• Discuss the topic of women safety and security openly in your family and friendly circles. Share your learnings with them.

• Be aware of the laws on violence and atrocities against women. Report any violation when it comes to your notice.

• Showing solidarity and helping women when you sense that they are being harassed.

• Training children within the family circle, especially boys appropriately.

• Have ‘Zero Tolerance’ for sexist remarks, jokes, abuses or comments, even in normal conversation amongst friends.

• Change in mental attitude from a mute bystander to a spontaneous helper. q