NARI 2025 Report: 40% of women in urban India experience feelings of insecurity

What does it refer to?

The National Annual Report and Index on Women’s Safety (NARI 2025) is an index derived from a survey that includes 31 cities from every state, with contributions from 12,770 women.

It aims to record unreported harassment, personal experiences, and feelings of safety that extend beyond mere official crime statistics.

Trends:

40% of women in urban India expressed that they feel “unsafe” or “somewhat unsafe.”

In 2024, 7% of women stated they experienced harassment, significantly exceeding the official statistics from NCRB.

Women aged 18 to 24 were identified as the most vulnerable group.

Kolkata, Delhi, Ranchi, Srinagar, Faridabad are among the least secure cities, whereas Mumbai, Kohima, Bhubaneswar, Gangtok, Itanagar are considered safer.

Just 22% of women disclosed harassment incidents to law enforcement.

Characteristics:

Harassment involves gazing, making catcalls, inappropriate remarks, and unwanted physical contact in public areas.

Key elements: inadequate lighting, unreliable public transportation, fragile infrastructure.

53% of women were uncertain whether their workplaces implemented the POSH policy, even though it is required by law