Actor, producer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza has drawn attention to the urgent link between girls’ safety and freedom of movement, marking National Girl Child Day and National Tourism Day with a powerful call for gender-responsive action. Through her statement, Mirza underscored that true progress in tourism and urban development cannot be celebrated unless girls and women can move freely without fear.
“A girl who feels safe enough to travel independently today becomes the woman who will move through the world with confidence tomorrow. And yet, for far too many of our girls, public spaces come with a “safety tax” a price paid in fear, in lost time, in constantly calculating routes, clothes, hours… and in dreams that quietly shrink before they even take flight. “
She further added “As I mark National Girl Child Day and National Tourism Day, I feel this truth deeply: we cannot celebrate movement, exploration, and freedom while so many girls are still navigating the gap between mobility and fear. Mirza’s statement draws a sharp contrast between the ideals of exploration and the lived reality of millions of girls and women, pointing out that mobility remains deeply unequal. Citing data from national and global reports, she highlighted that 40% of women in urban India still feel unsafe in their own cities, while incidents of harassment among girls and young women under 24 continue to rise. Globally, UN Women estimates that up to 70% of women experience harassment in public spaces, figures Mirza describes as a “trust deficit” that limits a girl’s world before it has fully opened.
Beyond social injustice, Mirza framed women’s safety as a critical economic issue. With tourism contributing nearly 10% to global GDP, she emphasized that exclusion driven by fear restricts access to education, employment and opportunity, ultimately slowing sustainable growth. Calling for visible and measurable action, from better lighting and safer public transport to zero tolerance for harassment, Mirza concluded that designing safer cities for girls creates safer, more inclusive spaces for everyone.