Urging Women To Reclaim The Streets
When a woman sees another woman walking the same street as her, she feels more safe. Keeping this in mind, Volvo Car India launched #MakeYourCitySafe, a campaign aimed at empowering women to take a stand for their safety. Culminating in Mumbai, the campaign has been organised in partnership with CrossBow Miles, with partners such as the National Commission for Women and The Hans Foundation. The campaign is a desperate plea from the city to its female residents, to not give up or lose hope, and instead, to take to the streets and make their city safer for themselves. Conceptualised by Mindshare, it was started with a brand film that urged women to step out in large numbers and reclaim the streets to make them safer; for women themselves hold the key to the burning issue of women safety.
Volvo Car India tied up with CrossBow Miles, whose founder Srishti Bakshi has just completed a 3,800 km nation-wide journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on foot to encourage women to come out of their houses and empower themselves. As part of the campaign, Volvo, in collaboration with Srishti, is calling on the women of the city to embark on an iconic walk into the night, and disengage violence with city spaces, de-villainising streets, and remind both men and women that these spaces are meant for all. The intent behind the initiative is to create a positive, practical, and sincere solution to make streets safer through this walk of solidarity.
Commenting on the campaign, Volvo Car India head Charles Frump says, “Women safety and empowerment are issues we feel strongly about. A society can be truly progressive if women get equal opportunities, feel safe and confident. We support Bakshi in her mission and urge everyone to join us in the Mumbai Night Walk to show.”
Speaking on the initiative, Mac Machaiah, chief innovation officer, Mindshare South Asia said, “Being a highly forward-thinking agency, we are proud to receive this opportunity to raise awareness about such a burning issue. Together with Srishti Bakshi of Crossbow Miles, Volvo, and the women of Mumbai, we hope to help make the streets and the city safer for women.”
Bakshi says, “CrossBow Miles has been walking for women’s safety and empowerment through the country. It was a perfect synergy of belief with Volvo’s #MakeYourCitySafe campaign because we have been conducting night walks across the country to encourage women to step out of their homes.”
