Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): ActionAid is going to organise ‘Meet to Sleep, a campaign to make women feel safe at public places, in Indore and Bhopal. It is an initiative to protest gender-based violence against women.
Women will lie down and sleep for two hours at Mayur Park in the city on Sunday from 2.00 to 4.00 pm under the event. The participants have been requested to bring a carpet or bedsheet with them. A discussion will follow in which the participants will share their experience. The event is being organised as a part of the International Fortnight for Elimination of Violence Against Women.
‘Meet to Sleep’ was launched by Black Noise, an organisation of Bangalore, in memory of Jyoti Singh (Nirbhaya), who was gang-raped and murdered in New Delhi on December 16, 2012.
Programme lead from ActionAid, Saumya Saxena told Free Press that the idea behind the exercise is to assert the right to women to be at public places. “Where do we sleep? Where can we sleep? At a place where we feel safe because once we are asleep, we cannot remain alert. So, by sleeping at a public place the women will be sending out a message that public places are safe for them,” she said, adding that this event is being organised for the first time in Madhya Pradesh in collaboration.
According to Saumya, around 100 women are likely to participate in the event in Bhopal. “In Indore the process of identifying the venue is underway. We may make a final decision Saturday,” she said.
