YouTube Video | The Womxn Show: Women Walk at Midnight | 23rd of Oct 23

"How safe do you feel walking at night? In this episode of #TheWomxnShow, we speak to Amrita Pande, organiser of the Women Walk at Midnight movement where women literally gather in various areas to walk together at night to raise awareness about around women's lack of freedom to walk safely at night. We're also joined by Ncumisa (Mimi) Mavundla who co-hosted the Khayelitsha walk. Catch #TheWomxnShow every Sunday at 6pm on Cape Town TV and DSTV 263. The Womxn Show is made possibly through funding by the Ford Foundation."

Kigali Walk 21 Panel: Gender Dynamics of Walkability

womenmobilize.org 

Gender Dynamics of Walkability » WomenMobilizeWomen

Amrita Pande, who started the initiative "Women Walk at Midnight" in Cape Town, was one of the speaker at the Walk 21 panel in Kigali this year.

The article builds on the session “Gender Dynamics of Walkability” at the Walk 21 Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 19th. Researchers and practitioners shared insights from their work in social movements, initiatives and field studies that aim to create more inclusive, safe, and empowering walking environments.

Building Walkable Cities for all – New interventions from research and practice

In many cities around the world, especially women perceive walking alone at night as unsafe. A study by Istat revealed that 36.6% of women in Italy refrain from going out at night due to fear, underscoring a critical issue that needs attention. This article sheds light on vital steps to make walkable cities a reality for all residents, regardless of their gender.

Newspaper Article at News24 | Women take to the streets of Cape Town at night to create awareness on

https://www.news24.com/news24/community-newspaper/peoples-post/women-take-to-the-streets-of-cape-town-at-night-to-create-awareness-on-women-safety-20230207

by Kaylynne Bantom (@bantomkaylynne)

published on the 7th of February 2023

A group of Cape Town women is on a mission to reclaim women’s right to walk the street at night and since last year August the group takes to the street at about 21:00 each month talking, socialising and getting to know their area.

The Womxn walk at midnight in Cape Town, an initiative was started by Amrita Pande, Sociologist and Professor at the University of Cape Town last year.

Pande says the initiative is based on a similar movement taking place in Delhi, India and South America. “It’s about creating a community where people who identify as women can walk, sing, chatter and reclaim the street and the night without fear. I have lived in many parts of the world and very few parts of the world, especially in the global south in countries like India, South Africa and Lebanon where I have spent a lot of time, have I ever felt safe enough to walk around at night and I have always wanted to.”

Since last year, they have covered areas like Sea Point, Muizenberg, Woodstock, the City Bowl and Observatory.

“Whenever we as women walk, we do it with fear. We do it by holding pepper spray or our cellphones pretending to talk to someone. Or we run from one place to the next so that we can get over this fear of a predator lurking around. I wanted to be able to create a women only walk. For women or anyone who identifies as a woman who has always wanted to experience walking at night without fear, to be able to do so,” she explains.

On Thursday 26 January, about 42 women took part in the walk which was held in Woodstock.

“We just walk. It’s not a movement, we are claiming the night, claiming the streets of our city because this is rightfully ours and we should be able to do it.”

Pande says they hope to expand the group to other parts of the city and country.

“I want this to happen organically. The point is that members from various parts of the city will join and they will host this walk in their own neighbourhood. So, they create the responsibility and joy of taking the collective to walk the streets.”

She says safety is their top priority. “I work with two hosts. We plan the route beforehand and do a safety check a few times to map out the route. We make sure we know the street well. We walk for about two hours at a leisurely pace. We start at about 21:00 and walk until the group wants to return. Sometimes until 12:00 (midnight). It’s just about experiencing the neighbourhood at night.”

Pande explains that their next walk will be in Salt River on Thursday 9 March.

“There is a WhatsApp group and anybody who identifies as a woman can join us.”

Simone Heradien, Feminist Activist who joined the Woodstock march in January, says she felt empowered.

“For me, this is a political statement. It is a reclaiming of being able to walk at night as a woman. The walk felt empowering. I hope that it will grow in numbers. I would like to see this being started in other areas like Langa, Nyanga, Kwamashu or Diepsloot.”

Heradien calls on women to unite. “We must commit like the women of 1956; I point a finger at myself too. If we want to claim back our rights and dignity we have to commit to fighting for them. I am not saying fight in the sense of protesting but by initiatives like this. We must claim back our right not just to walk at night, but to be able to dress the way we want, to be who we want to be. We should also support each other more. V To join the group contact them via Instagram @Womxnwalkatmidnight