Safecity Monthly Newsletter : May 2017
Safecity is growing exponentially and we’re constantly working hard to translate our vision to reality. Because we don’t want you to miss out on our work, we’ve decided to put together a monthly column to tell you about what we’ve been up to. You can sign up for our newsletter here.
Vital Voices Global Mentoring Walk
On 10th May, Safecity and Prerana Anti-Human Trafficking hosted the Vital Voices Mentoring Walk in Mumbai, India at Hyatt Regency Mumbai, supported by Shethepeople. The Vital Voices Mentoring Walk is a global tradition and we were thrilled to host it.
The mentors were amazing and accomplished women from the Corporate, The US Consulate Mumbai, Media and Development sectors and others who have been path breakers in their own right. The day began with a breathing and meditation session conducted by Supreet K Singh followed by an opening address by our Founder, Elsa Dsilva, and Heidi Hattenbach from the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai who spoke about the importance of encouraging women to keeping moving forward.
26 pairs of Mentors and Mentees got a chance to get to know each other and plan future sessions. You can read more about it here.
Donate Now
We have added a DONATE now page to our website for Indian donors. So, if you feel inspired by our work at Safecity and wish to support us in taking our work forward and reaching out to more people, do visit. Your contributions are much appreciated.
At the moment, we are only accepting Indian donations through this link. For foreign donations, you can get in touch with us at info.safecity@gmail.com. Thank you.
#FeminisminReelLife
Safecity is reviewing films that are stepping out to highlight the innate gender roles, discrimination, stereotypes, sexual harassment, misogyny and sexism which have been an ingrained part of cinema for a long time through our blog series “Feminism in Reel Life” authored by Dr. Ishmeet Nagpal.
So far, she has reviewed films from Bollywood, Hollywood, regional cinema and those that did not receive the limelight they should have. The reviews cover issues like biases, stereotypes, inter-sectional discrimination, gender and consent. You can have a look at the reviews here. If you have suggestions for films to review, please do let us know at info@reddotfoundation.org.
Shout out from the Director of Nil Battey Sannata on Twitter
Nil Battey Sannata is a film that celebrates a mother’s endless endeavors to make her dreams come true, while never foisting them on her daughter; and a daughter’s coming of age story, as she discovers her own potential.
In a response to its review by Dr. Ishmeet Nagpal, its Director- Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari appreciated our work whilst expressing her wish to continue making such films.
The Power of Conversation
To expand the work of Safecity in Patna, Bihar, a community meet up was organised by Naina Jha, our Program and Outreach Officer, on 20th May, 2017 at PnM Food Court at 5 pm. It was a casual meet up to discuss street harassment, how to deal with it, role of bystanders and how change can be brought. 12 people turned up for the meet within the age group of 17-35. The participants were students, journalists and those from the corporate sector. You can read more about the conversations that emerged here.
Special accreditation by the United Nations
Red Dot Foundation, our parent organisation, has received special accreditation by the United Nations to the preparatory process for a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. This is to be adopted at an intergovernmental conference on international migration in 2018.
The list of organizations approved by UN Member States for special accreditation to this preparatory process was circulated by the President of the General Assembly on 4 May 2017.
Collaboration with PVR Nest’s ShesAmbassador Campaign
Safecity is collaborating with PVR Nest on a campaign called #ShesAmbassador – the first ever health and leadership programme by PVR and MOGS for Adolescents. As a part of this collaboration Safecity created modules on Menstrual Health, Sanitation & Hygiene, Communicable & Non- Communicable Diseases and Nutrition & Mental Health.
On 20th May, Safecity conducted a #TraintheTrainer workshop for the team that will deliver our modules to over 2000 children in Mumbai.
Challenges in Local Transport- Photo Story
As part of Anti-Street Harassment Week, our Program and Outreach Officer, Devina Buckshee, and fashion stylist and lawyer, Ojas Kolvankar, travelled around Mumbai using public transport speaking to women about the challenges and harassment they face while doing so.
They put together a photo exhibit with their findings and the stories of sexual harassment that came through which are unnerving. You can have a look at the photo story here.
A New Journey in Ahmedabad
Safecity has begun a new chapter in Ahmedabad with our Program and Outreach Officer, Noorjahan Ansari.
We have set up a library which is open to the women and girls in Behrampura, Ahmedabad. Noorjahan has conducted sessions with the women and girls creating awareness about sexual harassment and the importance of reporting.
Noorjahan explaining #Safecity to the women of Behrampura, Ahmedabad. Talking about what is sexual violence, importance to report and what are the legal rights. Supreet K Singh #GodrejSalonI
Posted by Elsa Dsilva on Monday, May 15, 2017
Noorjahan explaining Safecity to the women of Behrampura, Ahmedabad, talking about what is sexual violence, importance of reporting and what their legal rights are.
Working towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Safecity has been conducting numerous activities both in Delhi and Mumbai creating awareness about the SDGs and encouraging people and youngsters to work towards achieving them.
As part of the event organised in #UnderstandingtheSDGs, our volunteers in Delhi each took a pledge to work towards one of the goals in their personal capacity.
On Wednesday, 17th May, the Safecity team, accompanied by Anupama Kapoor, the founder of Reboot Network, visited a school in Mumbai to conduct a workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals for 65 children of Grade 9 and their teachers. Click here to know more about it.
Streets Markets Audit
The Safecity Policy Project for Street Markets in Mumbai was led by our Policy and Legal Officer, Vandita Morarka along with a team of interns and volunteers. This stemmed from the reports of harassment at street markets in Mumbai that came up in our interactions with individuals at workshops, from our volunteers and on our crowdmap.
Our report is available in the format of a PDF that can be downloaded here – we look forward to your inputs and recommendations.
Safecity Emerging Leaders
Safecity is celebrating the journey of people who have emerged as leaders as our campaigns progressed in their communities through our blog series “Safecity Emerging Leaders”. Read the inspiring stories of these individuals who are passionate about making their neighbourhoods safer with Safecity and have taken action in their own special ways.
Read this month’s Emerging Leader Rahat’s story on our blog here.
When we asked Rahat about her experience doing an internship with Safecity, this is what she had to say –
“I truly believe that Safecity has played a vital role in helping me value my limitless potential by believing in me and through constructive feedback have helped me utilise that same potential. This is just the beginning of my journey to fulfil my new found resolve of having a safer and a value creating world.”
We have several opportunities for you to volunteer and take action. Do check our website.
Know Our Team
Know Our Team is a new blog series that attempts to bring to you the stories of our team, share our experiences, why we do what we do and special moments that have left an indelible mark in each of our lives.
Read this month’s blog by our Program and Outreach Officer in Mumbai, Devina Buckshee, who writes about her experience with Safecity and her journey with us so far here.
“My work with Safecity, especially my fieldwork, has enabled me to do just that, shine a light on the great but often ignored work already being done by the youth and girls in our city. Fostering dialogue and growing together with the communities I engage in has been exciting and full of positivity.”
We are looking for a Program and Outreach Officer for Delhi and Bangalore. Do send your CV to info@reddotfoundation.org
TweetChats
Through our tweetchats we are trying to facilitate important conversations around various issues related to gender in general and women’s issues in particular.
Our curators this month conducted four TweetChats around the issue of Travel and Safety, taking into account the big no-no, that is, solo travel for females, the role that movements and protest marches have in encouraging women to access spaces and the role that Governments play in reducing street harassment. We also had a Tweetchat on the Digital Purdah.
Check out the storified tweetchats here-Women and Solo Travel, Digital Gender Disparity, Reclaiming City Spaces and Role of Government in Eliminating Street Harassment.
- 1-2 June – Drawing classes with the community in Khar
- 5th June- Celebrating World Environment Day with Latha Sankaranarayan, the Founder of Developmatrix with the community in Khar
- 15th June– Juhu Beach Safety Audit
- 16th June– Versova Beach Safety Audit
- 17th June– Girgaon Chowpatty Beach Safety Audit
- 16th and 23rd June- Safecity bi-Monthly hangout with film reviews and discussions
- 18-24 June – ElsaMarie DSilva will represent us at The Global Diplomacy Lab in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 29th June- Vital Voices Global Mentoring Walk in Mumbai
- Every Friday at 9 pm IST/ 1130 am EST join us on Twitter @pinthecreep
