By Namrata Narayan, Entrepreneur and Managing Director, Maitreyi Micro Products, Noida
Before talking about women's safety, I have a question for everyone: what kind of society do we want to build? One where daughters live confined by fear and apprehension, or one where they soar freely in the open sky? A decade ago, we lived in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty; today, we live in an environment of fearlessness. This is a significant difference that affects society as a whole. The state's foremost duty is to protect its citizens, and when women constitute half the population, this duty becomes paramount. The true worship of Shakti also means ensuring every woman receives safety and respect. The Yogi government has placed this very principle at the center of its vision of governance: safety is not a favor, but a right.
Everyone is aware of the sense of insecurity that prevailed among women in the state before 2017. Even stepping out alone in public places was fraught with danger for women. For school and college students and working women, many routes were filled with anxiety. However, after taking office, the Yogi Adityanath government made women's safety its highest priority, instilling a new sense of confidence among women. If someone today questions women's safety in Uttar Pradesh by taking advantage of the freedom of expression guaranteed by democracy, it simply means that they are rejecting this truth out of vested interests. Women's safety has now become a key pillar of a robust law-and-order system.
The state government's first and most effective step toward transforming this scenario was to increase women's participation in the police force's basic structure. For a long time, policing was regarded as a male-dominated field, which made women uncomfortable about approaching police stations to lodge their complaints. To break these psychological and practical barriers, the Yogi government provided a 20 percent reservation for women in police recruitment. Until 2017, the Uttar Pradesh Police had barely 10,000 women personnel. Today, this number has crossed 44,000. Today, women beat policing, pink patrolling, and women help desks operate in every district, police station, and neighborhood across the state. When a woman sees another woman in a khaki uniform patrolling the streets, the sense of security this instills in her is far more powerful than any government claim. To strengthen women's safety, the state has established three women PAC battalions, and it is also rapidly setting up five more.
The second major proof of the government's commitment to women's safety in Uttar Pradesh has been its efforts to free public places from anti-social elements. The 'Anti-Romeo Squads' were formed immediately after the government assumed office to completely curb incidents of eve-teasing involving women and girls while walking on the streets, going to school or college, or visiting markets. According to the figures, these squads have checked more than 5 crore 95 lakh individuals so far. Authorities let off more than 2 crore 20 lakh individuals after strict warnings, while taking stringent legal action against 42,226 harassers and criminals. This extensive action instilled fear of the law among harassers and criminals, which is why the state's daughters are now stepping out fearlessly. The 'Women and Child Security Organization 1090' (Women Power Line) has been strengthened technologically and structurally to ensure women's complaints are registered without delay and acted on promptly.
{{/usCountry}}The second major proof of the government's commitment to women's safety in Uttar Pradesh has been its efforts to free public places from anti-social elements. The 'Anti-Romeo Squads' were formed immediately after the government assumed office to completely curb incidents of eve-teasing involving women and girls while walking on the streets, going to school or college, or visiting markets. According to the figures, these squads have checked more than 5 crore 95 lakh individuals so far. Authorities let off more than 2 crore 20 lakh individuals after strict warnings, while taking stringent legal action against 42,226 harassers and criminals. This extensive action instilled fear of the law among harassers and criminals, which is why the state's daughters are now stepping out fearlessly. The 'Women and Child Security Organization 1090' (Women Power Line) has been strengthened technologically and structurally to ensure women's complaints are registered without delay and acted on promptly.
{{/usCountry}}The government also understood that the cycle of safety could not be completed until society's mindset changed and women themselves became aware of their rights. Mission Shakti completed the triangle of safety, respect and self-reliance. Through Mission Shakti, women became widely aware of their rights and the legal provisions protecting them, from schools, colleges, and gram panchayats to urban areas. Mission Shakti has bridged the gap, ensuring the benefits of government schemes reach women at the last mile. To make this campaign more effective, 'Mission Shakti Centers' have been established at every police station, and more than 80,000 police personnel have received specialized training.
The Yogi government's policies have resulted in a significant decline in serious and heinous crimes such as kidnapping, domestic violence, murder, and rape involving women. Official figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) substantiate this. In 2016, when the Samajwadi Party was in power in the state, the rate of dowry harassment and murder cases in Uttar Pradesh stood at 2.4 per lakh women. According to the 2024 figures, this rate has declined to 1.8 per lakh women under the Yogi government. Similarly, 13,014 cases of kidnapping of women were registered in 2016 under the Samajwadi Party government, which fell substantially to 7,919 in 2024. Looking at the figures for extremely sensitive and heinous crimes such as rape, the rate stood at 4.6 in 2016 and has now declined to 2.8. The 'zero tolerance' policy adopted against criminals and effective prosecution in courts have played a crucial role in this decline.
The government has set an example in ensuring the conviction of criminals. Thanks to effective police investigations and strong prosecution, convictions have been secured in 34,734 cases involving crimes against women and minors as of June 30, 2026. These include 15,402 cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act and 4,714 rape cases, in which the criminals have been brought to justice. When criminals are convicted in such large numbers and at such a swift pace, it sends a strong message to society that the rule of law has been firmly established. The confidence with which women in Uttar Pradesh pursue education today, enter new fields of employment, and move toward self-reliance rests on the strong foundation of security the present government has built as its highest priority. Women's safety has become Uttar Pradesh's new identity and the brightest chapter in its development journey.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author are solely their own and do not reflect the official position or views of Hindustan Times.