'A Woman's Safety Is Non-Negotiable': IMF's Gita Gopinath On Kolkata Rape-Murder

The brutal and bestial rape and murder of a second-year postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, the movement asking for better security for women and workspaces and elsewhere, has once again become the topic of discussion. The incident has resulted in country-wide protests across multiple cities.

'Keeps Me Up At Night'

IMF Deputy Managing Director, Gita Gopinath, also expressed her concerns in the matter. While speaking to journalist Barkha Dutt, Gopinath said, "This is horrific". She claimed that she had been reading about it. He said, these kinds of incidents keep you up at night.

While elaborating on the matter, she cited her own personal experience and said that while growing up in the country, she encountered a sense of concern and uncertainty when travelling and generally being in public.

She emphasised the need for better security and certainty for women in different facets, may it be at the workplace, commuting to the workplace, or elsewhere.

Gopinath underscored the importance of expanding the discourse on the matter beyond workspaces. According to her, regardless of the development in the workforce, women should not have to worry about their safety, irrespective of whether they choose to work or not.

Safety Should Be A Right

Further, she added that, therefore, women's safety is non-negotiable. And highlighted it for it to be a right.

She deemed it to be be critical for the economy as well. With female participation in the larger workforce being a factor of concern, such developments could cause more harm in the process of integrating women into the workforce.

Gopinath also cited the PM's Independence Day speech, in which PM Modi highlighted the matter and laid emphasis on stricter punishment for such offences.

After the incident, the nation has seen doctors and others come out to the streets to express their indignation. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the medical fraternity at large have demanded a more tangible resolution to eliminate this social evil. The IMA announced a 24-hour doctor strike on August 17.