Project Background
We4her Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a women-led and women’s rights organization that is working on gender justice and gender equality. The foundation aims at promoting an eco-system for empowerment of women in India. To address the concerns surrounding women's safety in Delhi, We4Her commissioned a comprehensive study conducted by C4SD. This research aims to delve into the reasons behind why women perceive Delhi as unsafe. By conducting a thorough investigation, We4Her seeks to gather valuable insights that will inform and shape future initiatives aimed at creating safer urban environments in India.
A participatory research and campaign design project to surface the lived realities of women’s safety in Delhi NCR and create tools and narratives that push for systemic change.
Objectives
To understand the invisible burden of navigating safety as a woman in Delhi NCR
To co-design narratives and tools that address not just the symptoms, but root causes of harassment
To build a campaign that shifts public discourse and invites accountability
Key Features Delivered
Street-level research across Delhi NCR
Safety mapping and interviews with women across different contexts (commuters, students, workers)
Co-created campaign built around two key ideas: #NotOK and #SafetyTax
Stakeholder engagement with students, local authorities, community groups
Our Approach
Discovery Phase
Ethnographic Fieldwork: Conducted immersive field research in Delhi NCR, including transit hubs, colleges, markets, and informal spaces where women face harassment daily.
Stakeholder Interviews: Engaged women & men across age groups, occupations, and geographies—including students, commuters, domestic workers, and professionals—to gather first-hand narratives.
Hotspot Mapping: Identified locations and patterns of perceived and actual risk using participant-drawn maps and community dialogue.
Insight & Co-Creation Phase
Safety Tax Framework: Developed the “safety tax” concept by analysing the emotional, financial, and time-related costs women incur to stay safe.
Co-Design Workshops: Facilitated participatory sessions with community members, activists, and educators to co-create language, visuals, and tactics for the campaign.
Synthesis & Prototyping: Translated field data into actionable themes and prototypes, testing taglines, visual cues, and engagement formats.
Campaign & Implementation Phase
Campaign Identity: Designed the dual-message campaign around #NotOK and #SafetyTax, using posters, social content, and storytelling cards.
Community Rollout: Piloted campaign tools in key public locations and education institutions to provoke dialogue and gather reactions.
Results
Launched a public campaign that helped reframe safety as a systemic issue, not just individual risk
The concept of the “safety tax”—the extra cost women pay (time, money, freedom)—gained traction in both community and advocacy circles
Created a toolkit for campaign replication and community engagement
Strengthened the position of We4Her as a thought leader in gender-equity narratives for urban spaces
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