Bike rally by women to campaign for a change

Women bikers will take over the streets here to sensitise people about gender stereotypes and the need for safety in public.

The rally, organised by NGO Breakthrough India, and led by The Bikerni — India’s first all-women motorcycle association — will travel to different parts of the city for two weeks.

“There are very few women bikers on the streets of Delhi. We want to address the stereotypes that they cannot drive bikes. It is a drive to create safer spaces for women in our society reclaiming the lost public spaces for them,” Piali Bhattacharya, Manager Implementation, Program, Breakthrough said.

The rally under the campaign #StandWithMe seeks to address issues of sexual violence in public and the importance to create gender inclusive places.

“By safer spaces we mean - spaces where one does not face any discrimination based on gender and is respected as an individual. Through the various mediums of messaging we will give an overview to people of how this gender inclusive space should look like,” Bhattacharya said.

The initiative, which begins from November 27, will witness dialogues with youth and different communities on the importance of consent, de-segregation and de-stigmatisation via video vans and forum theatres.

“Sometimes a girl is harassed outside and the parents stop her from attending college or going out. Such issues need to be addressed vigilantly.

“We will be organising forum theatres where we will be incorporating the participants and the audience to communicate about these issues,” she said.

Around 25 women from Bikerni will be participating in the event but it is open for masses. Participants can register via Facebook.

“We are talking about de-segregation through this campaign but if we had  included men bikers the whole concept of masculinity would have dropped in.”