“Onus Not Just On Women”: India’s Top Female Leaders On Safe Mobility

An unwanted touch, an unrelenting stare, a moment of fear. How many times have women felt unsafe or uncomfortable in public transport? I remember when I was younger, my mother refused to send me alone on the bus because she remembered the number of times she was touched inappropriately by a fellow passenger. “We would hold a safety pin in case someone got too close to us,” she would say. These harrowing experiences have persisted across generations, and they will continue to haunt us if the system does not make women’s safety and gender sensitisation the utmost priority.

In an engaging panel by SheThePeople and Uber, some of the top women leaders of India discussed the role of law enforcement, policy, and societal attitudes in creating safer public spaces. The panellists were MPs Sulata Deo, Sangeeta Deo, and Dr Fauzia Khan; UN Women India's Kanta Singh; public policy specialist Mitali Nikore; and moderator Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople.

"Gender Sensitisation Should Start From The Cradle"

Women's safe mobility is not merely about convenience but greatly impacts society. Even today, many families in India hesitate to send their daughters to college or work out of fear for their safety. This reluctance restricts women’s freedom, limits their career prospects, and ultimately affects the country’s economic and social progress. 

Kanta Singh said, "Women's safety should not just be women's concern. It should be everybody's concern; because it impacts our economy and women's mental and physical health. The cost of violence on women is phenomenal and we are not talking about it... So we must normalise these conversations in the parliament and everywhere."

Ride-hailing apps like Uber have emerged as a crucial alternative for women seeking safer mobility options. These platforms offer a level of security and comfort that traditional public transport often lacks. However, challenges remain, and the panellists emphasised the need for greater accountability and gender-sensitised training for drivers.

Singh added, "When a woman faces a problem, at least 50 other women are affected by it... They are forced to be alert at all times, in public, while travelling in a cab, etc... So training public transport drivers in gender sensitisation is very important so that they have zero tolerance for harassment of passengers, be they male or female."

Sangeeta Kumari Deo pitched in, asserting that not only public transport drivers but society as a whole needs gender sensitisation. "Driver sensitisation may be the immediate relief but there needs to be a paradigm shift... Most of these sexual crimes are not out of sexual intent, but a hate crime. Gender sensitisation has to start from the cradle so men know that women are to be respected."

Gender-Sensitive Infrastructure 

Beyond just policies and regulations, Mitali Nikore discussed how public infrastructure also plays a significant role in women's safety. "When we look at the infrastructure and design of cities, public spaces, bus stops, railway stations, airports, etc., we have to make sure that there are some elements of it that are gender-sensitive," she said.

"One element is last-mile connectivity and pick-up points. For example, most Delhi women find metros safe. But when you reach your destination, there's chaos because you don't know where to get your last-mile transport... If you're hailing an auto or cab through an app, where do you pick it up from?... There are so many metros across India that lack the integration of last-mile service providers within the station."

Sangeeta Kumari Deo said, "We always sympathise in retrospect, but it is time we take action before a crime is perpetrated." She addressed some important features that can make ride-hailing a more secure experience. "Cab companies should invest in technology like a mapping system so that any deviation in the route can be flagged."

Uber India’s #SafetyNeverStops campaign is committed to ensuring women feel secure every time they travel, with features like ‘Share Your Trip,’ ‘RideCheck,’ and the 24x7 Safety Helpline. True safety requires a collective effort from policymakers, transport authorities, and society to create an environment where women can travel without fear.

The discussion organised by SheThePeople and Uber reinforced a crucial message--women’s safety is not just a women’s issue; it is a societal responsibility. As India moves toward greater economic and social progress, sensitization must begin at home, in schools, workplaces, and public spaces, so that respect and equality become ingrained values.

Watch the full discussion here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SheThePeople (@shethepeopletv)