The ‘NARI 2025’ report offers a comprehensive look at the current state of women’s safety in India, and the findings are concerning. The report reveals that a significant percentage of women feel unsafe in their urban environments. The report notes that approximately 40% of women in urban areas do not feel safe, highlighting a widespread perception of insecurity.
The study involved 12,770 women across 31 cities, offering a comprehensive analysis of the safety issues they encounter. The cities identified as among the least safe for women include Ranchi, Srinagar, Kolkata, Delhi, Faridabad, Patna, and Jaipur. In Delhi and Faridabad, around 42% of women reported feeling unsafe. The numbers were even higher in Ranchi, where 44% of women shared these concerns.
In stark contrast, Kohima emerges as the safest city, with over 80% of women reporting feeling secure. Other cities where women feel relatively safer include Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, and Mumbai. The report also brings attention to street harassment, including unwanted stares, harassment, and inappropriate comments. Many women experience these things daily and often feel distress. The report indicates that 7% of women reported experiencing harassment in 2024, and that young women are at a greater risk. The report also underscores that the underreporting of these incidents continues to be a major hurdle in addressing this critical issue. Only a small percentage of women report the incidents to the authorities because of fear and social stigma.
The report underscores the need for more effective enforcement of workplace sexual harassment prevention policies. ‘NARI 2025’ serves as an important tool for policymakers, governments, corporations, and civil society, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts to build safer and more inclusive cities for women in India. The goal is to provide a foundation of data upon which policies can be implemented.