'I respect women' badges for auto drivers, coolies

In an effort to make women tourists feel safe, coolies and auto drivers may soon sport the 'I respect women' badges. Vanita Srivastava reports.

In an effort to make women tourists feel safe, coolies and auto drivers may soon sport the 'I respect women' badges.

The tourism ministry has decided to start the campaign under which badges will be given to states to be distributed among various stakeholders engaged in the tourism and travel industry.

The idea was floated at the meeting of the National Tourism Advisory Council on Monday. The badges have been printed in Hindi and ten international languages viz., English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.

The sexual attacks on women tourists in the recent few months have taken a toll on the industry.

The first prototype of the badge will be distributed at the meeting of tourism ministers in New Delhi on Thursday.

"We will distribute the badges to the state governments who will pass them on to those engaged in travel industry like auto and taxi drivers, coolies, guides and travel agents," a tourism ministry official said.