12th August, 2026: Panel Discussion on "Safe Streets, Shared Cities-Reimagining Urban Spaces for Women and Gendered Minorities” at Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru

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A panel discussion on “Safe Streets, Shared Cities: Reimagining Urban Spaces for Women and Gendered Minorities” was organised by the Gender Studies Committee, School of Law, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, on 12 August 2026.

The discussion brought together perspectives from the legal, policing, and civil society sectors to examine the challenges faced by women and gendered minorities in accessing and navigating public spaces safely and equally.

The panel featured Adv. Ashwini Obulesh, Founder-Executive Director, Dhwani Legal Trust and Advocate, High Court of Karnataka, and Rajalakshmi R., Learnings & Outcomes Lead, Durga India. The diverse professional backgrounds of the panelists enabled a multidisciplinary discussion on safety, accessibility, institutional responses, and the need to reimagine urban spaces from the perspective of those who experience exclusion and vulnerability.

Adv. Ashwini Obulesh participated as a panelist and contributed to the discussion by highlighting the importance of making public spaces safer, more accessible and more inclusive for women and gendered minorities. Drawing from her experience in legal practice and rights-based advocacy, she emphasised that safety in public spaces is not merely a matter of individual responsibility, but requires systemic interventions, effective institutional mechanisms and greater accountability.

She further highlighted the importance of legal awareness and access to justice, particularly for persons who may be unaware of their rights or may face barriers in approaching institutions when their safety and dignity are compromised. The discussion underscored the need for stronger mechanisms to respond effectively to concerns relating to harassment, discrimination, violence and exclusion in public spaces.

The panel also explored the role of institutions, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations in creating safer urban environments. The importance of responsive policing, community engagement, accessible grievance-redressal mechanisms and sustained public awareness was emphasised as essential to ensuring that women and gendered minorities are able to participate fully and equally in public life.

The discussion served as an important platform for reflecting on how urban spaces can be designed and governed in a manner that recognises the diverse experiences of people who use them. It highlighted that creating genuinely safe and inclusive cities requires not only physical and infrastructural interventions, but also changes in institutional practices, public attitudes and systems of accountability.

The panel discussion was an engaging and meaningful exchange of perspectives on gender, law, public safety and urban citizenship. It reinforced the importance of collaborative efforts between legal practitioners, law enforcement, civil society, academic institutions and communities in advancing the vision of safe, equitable and inclusive public spaces for all.