Navami K Week 6

Reading – Why Loiter? By Shilpa Phadke, Shilpa Ranade and Sameera Khan. 

The authors initiate a debate by describing what becomes too much and what is considered too less. They start by giving a description of situations, namely, (a) as beneficiaries of any women’s movement, they are asking too much; (b) also most women do not have access to proper healthcare and other facilities, they are being frivolous, and (c) loitering itself is an offensive activity, and it does not matter what the intention is. But what the authors are trying to argue is that ‘loitering’ is a right for every woman, the right to access more public spaces and not be constricted to a boundary or a territory. It is an attempt to transform women’s relationship with the city and build on their development. 

Usually, these women’s movements are initiated to protest against some sort of violence taking place against women in the city or country, especially in the Indian demographic. Violence, rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, etc., are the issues that these movements aim to get justice for. They also legitimately claim that the struggle for violence always ends up in divides the faction into a situation of ‘them’ vs ‘us’, which becomes very problematic since it then lacks the unity that is required for the success of such movements. 

What also dwells into access to public space, is the right to security, which needs to be present in order to ensure a secure environment for women to step out into these public spaces. India lacks this security, where women are afraid to step out after dark for the fear of violence and harm. Such a society is not a safe environment for anyone. 

The next argument that the authors make is about globalization and the adverse effect it has on women, especially those women who are supposed to hold the morals and the culture of the family. 

What is finally needed for a woman to be free, safe and secure; is access to safe public spaces, access to education, access to safe workplaces and an overall safe environment because everyone has the Right to Loiter!