This episode examines the institutional ecosystem that shapes women’s safety in India beyond the existence of legal statutes. Over the past two decades, the country has introduced an extensive legal framework addressing domestic violence, sexual offences, trafficking, and workplace discrimination. Yet, persistent gaps remain between statutory guarantees and the realities experienced by women, particularly in low-income and informal urban settlements. The discussion explores whether existing institutional structures—across policing, healthcare, social welfare systems, and local governance—are sufficiently equipped to translate legal protections into accessible and effective support for survivors.

A central theme of the episode is the need to move beyond a statute-centric approach toward integrated, community-embedded systems of prevention and response. Drawing insights from grassroots intervention models, the conversation examines how hospital-based crisis centres, community mobilisation, behavioural change initiatives, and inter-agency coordination can strengthen reporting, survivor follow-up, and long-term recovery. The episode also interrogates the role of fiscal priorities, including allocations in the Union Budget 2026, in supporting decentralised safety infrastructure, frontline services, and survivor-centred accountability mechanisms. Particular attention is given to the role of data systems, monitoring frameworks, and community-level evidence in shaping policy design and institutional reform.

The discussion further situates women’s safety within broader socio-economic frameworks, highlighting how violence constrains mobility, labour force participation, and economic autonomy in urban poverty contexts. By examining linkages between safety infrastructure, livelihood programmes, and social protection mechanisms, the episode explores how violence prevention can be understood not only as a welfare intervention but also as a critical investment in inclusive economic participation.

SPEAKER: Nayreen Daruwalla, Programme Director, Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action (SNEHA)

MODERATOR: Anu Maria Francis, Senior Associate, Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR)

Tune in for a nuanced conversation on strengthening institutional responses to violence against women, the role of community-led prevention models, and the policy reforms required to build survivor-centred, accountable, and resilient safety systems.