“Leave Women Alone, Allow Them to Grow,” Urges Supreme Court Amid Growing Concern Over Women’s Safety
In a strong message aimed at shifting societal attitudes and ensuring women’s safety, the Supreme Court on Tuesday urged citizens and institutions to “leave women alone” and allow them to grow without restrictions or surveillance. The court emphasized the need for mindset change and a multi-pronged sensitisation campaign to address the deep-rooted vulnerabilities women face daily.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking gender sensitisation and moral education, expressed concern over the continued threats to women’s safety—both in urban and rural settings.
“We don’t need helicopters around them, monitoring them, restricting them. Allow them to grow, that’s what the women of this country want,” said Justice Nagarathna.
The bench drew attention to the harsh realities faced by women, particularly in rural areas where lack of basic sanitation continues to be a threat to their dignity and safety.
“Women who have to ease themselves have to wait till dusk… because they can’t go during the day in open. We have seen real-life cases of women being sexually assaulted when they go out to defecate,” the court observed.
Justice Nagarathna underlined the dual burden faced by women—adverse health effects from delayed access to sanitation and the risk of assault due to lack of secure infrastructure. Despite efforts under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the court noted that many villages still lack toilets, forcing women into unsafe situations.
The bench also highlighted the persistent fear and mental load women carry every day, saying,
“Whether in cities or rural areas, the vulnerability of women is something men will never understand. The feeling a woman experiences the moment she steps onto a street, a bus, or a railway station is an additional burden she carries.”
The Centre informed the court that while the National Education Policy (NEP) provides a framework, specific modules on moral education and gender sensitisation were still being developed. The bench, noting that the academic year had already begun, expressed concern over the delay and granted three weeks’ time to the Centre to file a detailed affidavit outlining current and proposed measures.
The PIL, filed by advocate Aabad Harshad Ponda, calls for value-based education and public awareness to combat gender-based violence, particularly rape and sexual assault. During the hearing, Ponda argued that many perpetrators do not attend schools or are beyond the age of formal education, making it essential to reach broader sections of society.
Justice Nagarathna directed the Centre to consider strategies that target those outside the formal education system as well.
The petition also seeks moral training in school curricula to promote awareness about gender equality, women’s rights, and dignity. It further recommends widespread awareness campaigns through advertisements, seminars, and community outreach to educate people on penal laws related to crimes against women and children.
The court will hear the matter next on May 6.
