Do not curb girls, teach boys better: CM calls for focus on respect and consent
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said ensuring women’s safety cannot be reduced to imposing restrictions on girls and called for greater focus on the behaviour and upbringing of boys, while stressing the responsibility of police, civic agencies and courts to make the capital safer.
Speaking at the diamond-jubilee celebrations of University of Delhi’s Maitreyi College, the chief minister said the movement and activities of women should not be curbed. Instead, boys and men must be taught to behave appropriately and respect women. “Why is everything meant only for girls? So many restrictions, so much prudence expected, so many boundaries,” she said, adding that the solution cannot simply be telling daughters what to wear, where to go or when to return home.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the need to advise boys as well as girls, the chief minister said men must understand what is right and wrong when they encounter women and must understand that “no means no”. “There is no compromise on this in Delhi. It is not solely the girls’ responsibility to take care of everything. Everyone has to do their part,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister said that when daughters are given various dos and don’ts in the name of safety, boys must be taught with equal seriousness about respect, responsibility, behaviour and consent. She said society must ensure no daughter has to compromise on her dreams, education, career or freedom for her safety, adding that a “no” means “no” and respecting it is everyone’s responsibility.
She said the police must do their duty to keep the city safe and that there should be no security lapse in any area. “When a case arises where a daughter or woman needs justice, the judiciary must speed up the trial and deliver justice to that girl as quickly as possible,” she said, calling for adequate facilities to help prevent delays in justice.
Director of DU Campus of Open Learning Prof Payal Moga, Maitreyi College Principal Prof Haritma Chopra, Dr Jagruti Kaur, Dr Anita, and Students’ Union representative Drishti were present, along with teachers, students and other dignitaries. The chief minister also urged women to speak up against wrongdoing and said society and institutions must support those who raise their voices. “When a daughter bravely raises her voice against something wrong done to her, it is the duty of all of us to empower that voice.”
The chief minister said there should be “no place for fear, no place for terror, and no place for atrocities” in Delhi, adding that women should be able to travel wherever and whenever they want without fear of harassment. “If anyone attempts this audacity, they should understand the consequences; they will not be spared,” she said.
The Chief Minister said 50,000 CCTV cameras and one lakh streetlights are being installed across the capital to strengthen women’s safety. During her address, she also encouraged students to prioritise themselves, pursue their careers and take leadership roles. “First of all, take care of yourself, live for yourself, work for yourself, choose your career, and move forward on that path.”
She also highlighted students’ role in developing technology, noting that Maitreyi College students had developed websites and applications used by the institution.
