Safety of Women in Public Spaces in Delhi: Governance and Budgetary Challenges

The study attempts to highlight some of the major hurdles in Delhi’s governance and fiscal policy in ensuring the safety of women in public spaces. Though violence against women is widespread and occurs both in private and public spheres, the present study focuses on analysing mechanisms for ensuring women’s safety in public spaces and their access to them. For the purpose of the study our focus is on physical including sexual violence. This study discusses some of the underlying gaps in (i) the response and rehabilitative measures of the Union Government and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) for women in distress and (ii) in specific sectors such as policing, public bus service and night shelters that provide an enabling environment for women to access public spaces without the threat of violence. It traces the causal factors, underlying these gaps, to hurdles in governance and public spending in Delhi. In doing so, the study highlights how the existing policy framework for women’s safety in public spaces can be operationalised more effectively. [CBGA Study Reports]