NHRC Chief Raises Alarm Over Soaring Violence Against Women

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India’s top rights authority has sounded a strong warning about the alarming frequency of violence against women, revealing that over 50 cases are formally reported every hour across the nation. This growing crisis, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), demands urgent institutional reform, stronger enforcement, and renewed cultural introspection.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), delivered these sobering remarks during a symposium titled “Women’s Safety at Work and Public Spaces” held in Lucknow. The event was jointly organized by the NHRC and the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Chair at the Department of Sociology, University of Lucknow. It brought together legal minds, academics, and public stakeholders in a constructive dialogue aimed at confronting the ongoing threats to women’s safety in public and professional environments.

Justice Ramasubramanian stated that an estimated 51 First Information Reports (FIRs) related to violence against women are lodged every hour in India, a statistic that shows the deep-rooted nature of the issue. He emphasized the disconnect between India’s historic reverence for feminine divinity and the reality many women face in their day-to-day lives, marked by fear, discrimination, and vulnerability to harassment.

He recalled the long struggle that led to the formulation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013, and called for stronger implementation of existing legal frameworks. According to the NHRC Chair, ensuring the dignity and protection of women must not be left to legal paperwork alone; it requires moral accountability and institutional resolve.

In an official statement, the NHRC called for unified and collaborative efforts to create safer public and professional spaces for women, especially as cases of harassment and violence continue to rise. The Commission urged all stakeholders to play their part from educational institutions to law enforcement agencies, to promote a culture that no longer tolerates abuse or neglect.

The symposium showed that protecting women’s rights is not just a social imperative but a fundamental responsibility of a functioning democracy. Justice Ramasubramanian’s message was clear: symbolic gestures are no longer sufficient. What is needed is sustained action rooted in law, guided by conscience, and driven by the collective will to secure justice.As India grapples with the scale of these crimes, there remains an opportunity for decisive leadership, public awareness, and grassroots commitment to shift the tide in favor of safety, dignity, and respect for every woman.