The National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025, released on August 28, 2025, identifies Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, and Mumbai as India’s safest cities for women, while Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Ranchi rank as the least safe. Based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities, the report assigns a national safety score of 65%, categorizing cities as “much above,” “above,” “at,” “below,” or “much below” this benchmark.

The safest cities correlate with strong gender equity, effective policing, robust civic participation, and women-friendly infrastructure. Conversely, low-ranking cities suffer from weak institutional responsiveness, entrenched patriarchal norms, and inadequate urban ioutil, infrastructure. The report notes that 60% of women feel safe in their cities, but 40% report feeling “not so safe” or “unsafe,” with safety perceptions dropping significantly at night, particularly in public transport and recreational spaces.

The study highlights critical gaps: only 25% of women trust authorities to address safety complaints effectively, and 7% reported harassment in public spaces in 2024, with the figure doubling to 14% for women under 24. Neighborhoods (38%) and public transport (29%) are primary harassment hotspots, yet only one-third of victims report incidents, underscoring the limitations of official crime data. The report advocates integrating perception-based surveys like NARI with crime statistics for a fuller picture.

Also Read: Jet Airways' Mumbai Office Lease Sold Amid Liquidation!

National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar emphasized that women’s safety extends beyond law and order, impacting education, health, work, and mobility. “When women feel unsafe, they limit themselves, hindering personal and national development,” she said. Rahatkar highlighted the need for holistic security—physical, psychological, financial, and digital—and praised measures like increased women police officers (33% in some Union Territories) and female public transport drivers. She also called for societal responsibility, urging action in areas like helpline usage and public hygiene.

Positive initiatives, such as women’s helplines, CCTV in smart cities, and enhanced safety at transport hubs, are making strides, but the report stresses persistent gaps, with only 65% of women perceiving improvement from 2023 to 2024. Published by The NorthCap University and Jindal Global Law School under the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians, the NARI index underscores the urgent need for systemic and societal efforts to ensure a safer, more inclusive India for women.

Also Read: Ganeshotsav 2025 Begins: Mumbai Erupts in Devotion and Dhol Beats!