On days meant to celebrate freedom, movement and possibility, actor, producer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza chose to pause and ask a deeply uncomfortable question: what does tourism or progress mean if girls cannot move through public spaces without fear?
Marking National Girl Child Day and National Tourism Day, Mirza highlighted a reality many girls live with every day — that stepping out often comes with anxiety, calculation and caution, not confidence.
“Freedom rings hollow without safety”
In a powerful statement, Mirza linked girls’ safety directly to their right to travel, explore and dream freely.
“A girl who feels safe enough to travel independently today becomes the woman who will move through the world with confidence tomorrow,” she said.
She described how public spaces impose a “safety tax” on girls — paid in fear, lost time, restricted routes, clothing choices and dreams that quietly shrink before they take flight.
The gap between movement and fear
Reflecting on the two national observances, Mirza said it was impossible to celebrate exploration and freedom while millions of girls still navigate the gap between mobility and fear.
Citing data, she noted that nearly 40 percent of women in urban India feel unsafe in their own cities. Globally, estimates from UN Women suggest up to 70 percent of women experience harassment in public spaces — a reality Mirza called a “trust deficit” that limits a girl’s world even before it fully opens.
Safety is also an economic issue
Mirza also framed safety as an economic concern. With tourism contributing nearly 10 percent of global GDP, she pointed out that fear-driven exclusion keeps girls and women away from education, employment and opportunity, slowing sustainable growth.
“Conversations about development ring hollow when half the population moves with hesitation,” she implied.
A call for visible action
Calling for real change, Mirza emphasised the need for visible and measurable action — better lighting, safer public transport, responsive policing and zero tolerance for harassment.
She concluded that cities designed with girls’ safety at their core do not just protect women — they become safer, more inclusive spaces for everyone.
Her message was clear: freedom of movement is not a privilege. It is a right. And until girls can claim it without fear, progress remains incomplete.
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