‘98 per cent women unaware of using emergency helplines’

Islamabad: Around 98 per cent women are unaware of existing supportive emergency helplines or mobile phone apps to report in case of happening of any harassment with them in public transport, a report on Thursday said.

This was revealed by a report on Women safety in Public Transport, conducted by Aurat Foundation, Women Development Department and UN Women to highlight the safety concerns of women and girls using public transport.

The report said an alarming situation regarding the safety of women on public transport that most of the women face different type of harassment at bus stops but does not report. According to the report harassment include comments, staring, whistling and stalking.

Report said that Some of women also report being harassed by passersby. But both women and girls take limited action when they are harassed on public transport and 98 percent of respondents are unaware of existing emergency helplines or mobile phone app to report.

An official of Aurat Foundation said that according to the women commuters the police do not play significant role in addressing the women issues on public transport. All bus stops fail to make provisions for women commuters with special needs, he added.

He said that It is very alarming that the entire transport system neither addresses nor response to the special needs of women with disabilities. Most of the bus stops are badly maintained , over head shades with inadequate lightning and missing benches , she told.