Mint Quick Edit | Safety in India: Time to get real

But the safety of women differs from place to place.

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The National Commission for Women’s National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety ranks cities based on a survey of 31 cities. It found that the safest cities for women—Kohima, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Mumbai—were associated with stronger gender equity, civic participation, policing and women-friendly infrastructure.

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The worst included Kolkata and the National Capital Region, which also had weaker infrastructure, patriarchal norms or slower institutional responsiveness.

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The report notes that only 25% of women trust authorities to act effectively on safety complaints, so it’s no surprise that two-thirds of women do not report harassment. This should make us sit up. If we can’t assure women of security, we cannot expect India to thrive beyond a point. For women’s labour force participation to rise, it is essential that safety isn’t an anxiety.