The Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission has proposed several measures aimed at enhancing women’s safety in public spaces. These suggestions include restrictions on male tailors from taking women’s measurements and prohibiting men from training women in gyms and yoga sessions.
Among the suggested measures, the commission has proposed the addition of female security personnel on school buses and the hiring of female staff in women’s clothing stores. These ideas were discussed in a meeting held in Lucknow on October 28, where commission members brainstormed ways to improve safety for women in public and commercial areas.
“The discussions are preliminary. The feasibility of these proposals is yet to be decided. Once approved, these proposals will be submitted to the government to draft a policy for ground-level implementation,” said Maneesha Ahlawat, a member of the commission.
In Shamli district, local authorities have started adopting these safety measures. Hamid Hussain, the district probation officer, has instructed local establishments to appoint female trainers or teachers in women’s gyms, yoga centers, and drama schools. Additionally, CCTV systems with DVR capabilities will be installed in these locations for monitoring.
Hussain also announced that school buses in the district must have a female security guard or teacher. Boutiques will now be required to hire female tailors to measure women, and CCTV cameras will be installed for surveillance. Coaching centers in Shamli will need to ensure that they have proper restroom facilities for women and surveillance systems in place.
Veena Agrawal, a local social worker, expressed support for the new guidelines, stating that they are designed to create a safer and more supportive environment for women in public and commercial spaces.
In a similar move to enhance women’s safety, Haryana police introduced a real-time tracking feature on WhatsApp as part of the Emergency Response Support System in September. This feature allows women, particularly those traveling alone at night, to share their live location with the police in Haryana and Gurgaon for added security. The feature was launched following a meeting discussing a trip monitoring system for women in Gurgaon.
