Free Public Transport For Women - Good Or Bad?
A few days ago chief minister of New Delhi Mr. Arvind Kejriwal announced that women in New Delhi would no longer have to pay for public transport.
And the first thought that popped into my head was, why? I would assume that a general oppinion would be positive to this. Who wouldn't want to Not pay for every bus or metro you take?! Think of all the money you would save!
A note I found at a shoe shop😉
But after giving this proposal a thought and reading some of the comments on social media regarding the matter I started to get angry! This is not the right way to go if the government wants to strengthen gender equality in society.
Women are already being treated as the more vulnerable sex; we have generally a much lower income (or no income at all some times which you can see in an Indian society), we are more prone to be exposed to violence, sexual abuse and to be mistreated in many other ways. And to give women access to free public transport will make it even more obvious that women are a group in our society that are vulnerable, poor and in need of more help and support.
So why this proposal from Mr. Chief minister of New Delhi?
If you want to give free bus tickets to someone, give it to BPL card holders?!
Well, it's not just another great way to try to win votes. But one of the main reasons for giving free access to public transport is to improve the security of women while they are travelling around the city. Because we (women) are well aware and brought up with the idea that the world is not a safe place to live in If you are born as a woman.
And after the terrible death of Jyothi Singh in New Delhi (which btw is a world known rape case that took place IN a bus = public transport) it became even more obvious of what type of men that are actually circulating around in society. And women have no idea where in the city that type of man with evil intentions could be walking. He could be sitting next to her in a metro! And to walk to and from a metro station or standing alone on a bus stand in the evening will Not make it more safe for women to travel.
So why this proposal from Mr. Chief minister of New Delhi?
If you want to give free bus tickets to someone, give it to BPL card holders?!
Well, it's not just another great way to try to win votes. But one of the main reasons for giving free access to public transport is to improve the security of women while they are travelling around the city. Because we (women) are well aware and brought up with the idea that the world is not a safe place to live in If you are born as a woman.
And after the terrible death of Jyothi Singh in New Delhi (which btw is a world known rape case that took place IN a bus = public transport) it became even more obvious of what type of men that are actually circulating around in society. And women have no idea where in the city that type of man with evil intentions could be walking. He could be sitting next to her in a metro! And to walk to and from a metro station or standing alone on a bus stand in the evening will Not make it more safe for women to travel.
This is a bus ticket we purchased in north of India. Here women get a discount on every journey ("women connection") - when gender discrimination is towards men.
There is so much more that needs to be done to ensure women's safety in society. And free public transport will not solve that problem - raising our boys and girls to become well behaved citizens with good manners who have respect for one another will!
And we need to talk about this and not come up with more stupid arrangements where women should need to ajust any more for mens conveniences.
We have done that enough.
Chief Minister of New Delhi - You anoy me but Inspired me to write this!
Peace☺