Why Public Spaces in India Are Unsafe Women

Source: The post Why Public Spaces in India Are Unsafe Women has been created, based on the article “Inclusion in public spaces — from fear to freedom” published in “The Hindu” on 8th March 2025. Why Public Spaces in India Are Unsafe Women

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Social Justice

Context: The article discusses how public spaces in India are unsafe and unwelcoming for women. It emphasizes the need for better design, stronger laws, and societal changes to make these spaces safer and more accessible for women to move freely and confidently.

For detailed information on Women Safety in India- Challenges and Way Forward read this article here

Why Are Public Spaces in India Unsafe for Women?

1. India ranked 128 out of 177 in the Women, Peace, and Security Index 2023, showing low safety for women.
2. Patriarchal norms limit women’s access to public spaces, making them feel unsafe.
3. National Family Health Survey-4 (2015–16) shows only 54% of women can visit markets alone, and 48% can travel unaccompanied.
4. Women prefer curated spaces like malls due to safety concerns on streets and bus stops.
5. Low conviction rates for gender-based crimes worsen women’s fear of public spaces.

How Do Gendered Spatial Controls Affect Women’s Freedom?

1. Gendered spatial control limits women’s access to public spaces.
2. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women in 2023–24 was 35.6%, showing that most women remain outside the workforce.
3. For working women, public spaces are mainly transitional zones for commuting, not for leisure.
4. As highlighted in Why Loiter? (Phadke, Ranade, Khan, 2011), public spaces should allow women to move freely without a purpose, urgency, or conforming to societal expectations.

What Role Does Safety Play in Restricting Women’s Mobility?

1. Safety concerns significantly restrict women’s mobility. Women face risks of violence in both public and private spaces.
2. To avoid danger, they often prefer curated spaces like malls and cafes.
3. Unregulated spaces such as bus stops, streets, and footpaths remain unwelcoming.
4. The societal belief that women need protection leads to further restrictions on their freedom.
5. This belief also shifts the blame to women for being in the “wrong place,” ignoring the actions of the perpetrators.

How Can Policies Make Public Spaces Safer for Women?

1. Government policies can improve safety in public spaces by ensuring proper street lighting, safe public toilets, street furniture like benches, and more recreational areas for women.
2. Strengthening laws and ensuring effective enforcement against gender-based violence are crucial. 3. The low conviction rate for crimes against women highlights a major gap.

4.?Policy changes must focus on making public spaces inclusive and accessible for women without fear.

What Needs to Change in Society’s Attitude Towards Women in Public Spaces?

1. Society must normalize women’s presence in public spaces for leisure and not just for work or essential tasks.
2. Conversations around women’s right to access these spaces freely are necessary.
3. Small, everyday actions can gradually change societal attitudes, making public spaces safer and more welcoming for women.
4. Empowering women to reclaim these spaces can help dismantle long-standing patriarchal controls.

Question for practice:

Examine how societal attitudes and patriarchal norms contribute to making public spaces unsafe and unwelcoming for women in India.