NHRC holds symposium on womens safety in collaboration with University of Lucknow

lucknow: the national human rights commission (nhrc), in association with the university of lucknow's dr. ram manohar lohia chair, department of sociology, organised a national symposium on 'women's safety at work and public spaces' on july 26, 2025.this is the second such symposium, following the first held in september 2024, amid increasing reports of gender-based violence across professional and public spaces.inhis virtual keynote address, nhrc chairperson justice v. ramasubramanian highlighted the stark contrast between india's cultural reverence for goddesses and the rising incidents of crimes against women, with an average of 51 firs registered per hour. he stressed the need for stronger awareness and enforcement despite legal safeguards such as the prevention of sexual harassment at workplace act, 2013.joint secretary of nhrc, smt. saidingpuii chhakchhuak, pointed to persistent gaps in enforcement and called for more sensitive and responsive systems, especially in education and policymaking.prof. s.k. chowdhury of the university of lucknow underscored the importance of structural changes alongside awareness to ensure confidence in reporting crimes. prof. s.m. patnaik of the university of delhi called for early gender sensitisation and support systems, noting that patriarchy and anonymity often fuel public harassment.other speakers, including dr. p.k. gupta and dr. s.n. sabat, emphasised the role of households, technology and infrastructure in promoting safety. prof. nilika mehrotra of jnu advocated for context-sensitive solutions in law enforcement and urban planning.key recommendations included inclusive policymaking, family-level sensitisation, representation of women in decision-making bodies, and targeted awareness in the informal sector.the nhrc reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative action for ensuring safer, more inclusive environments for women across india.