‘At the policy level, the government can drive change by reimagining public space planning and design’
| Photo Credit: AFP
India is often considered to be one of the most unsafe countries for women, a reality that demands urgent and deliberate change. India was ranked 128 among 177 countries rated in Women, Peace and Security Index 2023. While deeply entrenched patriarchal norms that lead to violence cannot be dismantled overnight, meaningful progress can be made by challenging the everyday barriers that women face. On International Women’s Day today, it is crucial to reflect on a fundamental but an often-ignored issue — the accessibility of public spaces for women.
While the topic is deeply studied and researched in the academic world, very little has changed practically. For instance, how many women do we see on roads when compared to men at any given point of time? Which are the spaces where they are more visible? And which are the areas which they completely avoid? How freely can women walk on the streets? Or do women consciously regulate their body language to conform to the male gaze?
Gendered spatial control
It is important to understand them because public spaces serve as arenas where socio-economic life thrives and evolves through mutual interactions and collective experiences, shaping community identities and social dynamics. It is where people cultivate political identities, build livelihoods, and actively engage in community life. By enthusiastically participating in the everyday nuances of public spaces, individuals get more integrated into societal processes. Moreover, a key indicator of a place’s safety is the presence of women freely choosing to relax and enjoy themselves there.
What impacts women’s mobilities? Studies indicate that public spaces are both gendered and political where a majority of women are mostly confined to the private and domestic sphere. This gendered spatial control takes place in many ways. According to National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) data (2015–16), 54% of Indian women had the freedom to visit markets alone, while 50% could access health-care facilities independently, and 48% were permitted to travel outside their village or community unaccompanied.
Also, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2023-24 indicates that the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women is 35.6%. Even though it has risen significantly over the years, unfortunately, this highlights that more than half the female population remains outside the workforce. Therefore, while a majority of women are confined to private spaces, there is a rising number of women who are using public spaces.
However, for working women, public spaces primarily serve as transitional zones, facilitating their commute between home and workplace. These spaces are rarely utilised for leisure or recreation. Consequently, women’s engagement with public spaces is purpose-driven and time-bound, reinforcing spatial restrictions that limit their presence to functional necessities rather than unrestricted social participation.
A space is truly safe and inclusive when women can navigate it freely and without hesitation. As argued in ‘Why Loiter?’ (Phadke, Ranade, Khan, 2011), reclaiming public spaces is not just about necessity but also about leisure and uninhibited presence. When women can move without a purpose, without urgency, without having to conform to the male gaze, they assert their right to belong, transforming public spaces into shared, equitable environments. Simply put, women should be able to just exist in public spaces.
The issue of safety
During such instances, the issue of women’s safety becomes a pressing concern. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that violence against women is not confined to public spaces as many face threats even within their homes which is considered to be a comparatively safer space. In open spaces, the risk of gendered violence from multiple strangers is high. This has reinforced the belief that women need protection, ultimately restricting their autonomy. As a result, women are largely found in curated spaces such as malls, theatres, and cafes, where the likelihood of violence is perceived to be lower. But what about women on footpaths, bus stations, or narrow streets — just a group of girls sitting around and having fun?
Street amusement where women are the participants is not a normal sight. Everyday public spaces — those that men navigate freely — continue to be unwelcoming to women. The fact that women cannot simply exist in these spaces without discomfort or fear raises a critical question. What is fundamentally flawed in the design of public spaces that prevents women from fully claiming and navigating them as their own? It is here that the community and the government can be great enablers. As a society, we must acknowledge and accept the fact that public spaces offer a sense of freedom. Yet, this very freedom often translates to a loss of control for families over women’s mobility. Risk is inevitable but avoiding public spaces is not the solution. Men are subjected to street violence as well, even though their nature of vulnerability is different from that of women. Women need to reclaim these spaces with the same ease as men, fostering autonomy rather than restriction. For this, women should have more conversations about this problem, take out time to go around and ‘hang out’ and have fun in public spaces. Normalising a woman’s use of public space for leisure can contribute to this shift.
Policy level changes
At the policy level, the government can drive change by reimagining public space planning and design. This includes improving street lighting, ensuring safe and accessible public toilets, installing street furniture such as benches, and creating more recreational spaces tailored for women. Another critical area requiring government intervention is strengthening public safety through stringent laws and their effective enforcement to address crimes against women in public spaces. How many men are actually punished for gender-based violence in public spaces? How many secure bail, only to repeat their crimes? The low conviction rate remains a glaring issue that must be addressed. Even today, women are often blamed for being in the “wrong place at the wrong time”, shifting the focus from the perpetrator to the victim. Society places the burden of safety on women while simultaneously excusing or downplaying the actions of offenders. This not only fosters a culture of impunity but also reinforces a gendered fear that serves as a tool for patriarchal control.
So, by consciously reshaping public spaces, we can create environments where women feel safe and truly welcome. While centuries of patriarchy cannot be dismantled overnight, meaningful change begins with small, everyday actions. From the built environment of public space to societal attitudes, every shift, no matter how gradual, brings us closer to an inclusive society where women can navigate and own public spaces freely, without fear or restriction.
Aswathy Chandragiri is a research scholar at BITS Pilani, Rajasthan
Published – March 08, 2025 12:16 am IST