NHRC issues advisory to Union Ministries and States for women's safety

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has issued an important advisory to enhance the safety of women at workplaces and public places. This advisory has been sent to the Secretaries of ten Union Ministries, the Chairman of the Railway Board, as well as the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of all States and Union Territories. The Commission has requested all concerned authorities to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two months to apprise it of the progress regarding the implementation of these recommendations.

The NHRC noted that despite having strict laws in the country to protect women's rights, their safety at workplaces and public places remains a matter of concern. Providing statistical data in this regard, the Commission stated that according to the recent Periodic Labour Force Participation Survey, women's participation in the labour force was 34.6% in September 2026. On the other hand, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report published in 2026, approximately 4.4 lakh cases of crimes against women were registered. These figures reflect the persistent challenges in ensuring the safety and security of women and emphasize the need for concerted efforts.

According to the Commission, the safety of women is essential to ensure their constitutional right to justice and equal opportunities. Safety at workplaces and public places is an indispensable condition that enables women to fully participate in the labour force and utilize their potential to the fullest. The Union Ministries included in the advisory are Women and Child Development, Education, Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Labour and Employment, Corporate Affairs, Road Transport and Highways, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Health and Family Welfare.

This advisory issued by the NHRC focuses primarily on eight areas. These include creating awareness on issues of women's safety and sexual harassment, improving infrastructure, encouraging bystander intervention during incidents, the role of police, providing assistance to victims, combating cybercrime against women, long-term reforms, and other necessary measures.

Meanwhile, the NHRC has also taken suo motu cognizance of reports that three individuals were paraded half-naked on the streets in the Behala area of Kolkata. According to media reports, the three accused were paraded on the streets in a half-naked state with ropes tied around their waists. In connection with this incident, the Commission has issued a notice to the Kolkata Police Commissioner seeking a detailed report within two weeks. According to the report, a day before this incident, an 18-year-old youth and his 19-year-old friend were beaten and humiliated by the family members of a minor girl. Subsequently, it is also reported that all three were paraded in the open streets at gunpoint. On October 27, the Kolkata Police paraded two men without shirts and with ropes tied around their waists, who were caught on charges of parading three naked men on October 26. Civil rights organizations have raised questions regarding this conduct of the police. Earlier, on June 5, 2026, the Calcutta High Court had also observed that the police could take action but could not defame the accused.