New Delhi, August 28: Kohima, Aizawl, Itanagar, and Gangtok have emerged among the safest cities for women in India, according to the National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025 released on Thursday.
The report, based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities, placed these Northeast capitals alongside Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, and Mumbai at the top of the national safety index. With a benchmark safety score of 65%, the top-ranked cities were credited for strong gender equity, civic participation, effective policing, and women-friendly infrastructure.
In contrast, cities such as Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Ranchi fared poorly, reflecting weak institutional responsiveness, entrenched patriarchal norms, and infrastructure gaps.
The survey highlighted that while six in ten women felt safe overall, 40% still described themselves as “not so safe” or “unsafe,” particularly at night, on public transport, and in recreational spaces. Educational institutions were perceived as relatively safe during the day (86%), but safety concerns rose sharply at night.
Workplace safety also remained a concern, with half of the respondents unsure whether their offices had a Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) policy. Only one-fourth of women trusted authorities to act effectively on complaints, though 69% found current safety measures somewhat adequate.
Harassment in public spaces was reported by 7% of women in 2024, doubling to 14% among those under 24. Neighbourhoods (38%) and public transport (29%) were flagged as major hotspots. Yet, only one in three victims reported these incidents, underlining the gap between perception-based surveys and official crime records.
Launching the report, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar stressed that women’s safety is not just a law-and-order concern but also impacts education, health, work opportunities, and freedom of movement. She highlighted four dimensions of safety — physical, psychological, financial, and digital — while praising initiatives such as increased women police presence, women drivers in public transport, helplines, CCTV coverage, and improved safety at transport hubs.
Rahatkar also underscored the role of citizens, urging collective responsibility: “We often blame the system, but we must also ask what we have done — whether using helplines, supporting awareness drives, or simply keeping public toilets clean.”
The NARI Index, conceptualised by The NorthCap University and Jindal Global Law School, is published by the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA).
