A few months ago, a young woman posted a harrowing video on Facebook explaining how a man had harassed her on a public bus she took from Thimi, Bhaktapur, on her way home from college. The bus was overcrowded, as is often the case with most public buses in Nepal; there is no room to breathe, let alone sit freely without hassle. As someone who commutes on public buses daily, I could relate to her. It reminded me of the pang of fear that hits me every time I board a bus, no matter where in the country I am. Leering looks, groping, harassment and discomfort are among the many things that cross my mind. What hurts me even more is knowing that countless other women share the same feeling.

According to a report published in this paper, in fiscal year 2025-26 alone, the police arrested more than 1,600 people for various forms of misconduct in both public places and public transport. Of these, four were arrested for physical sexual harassment and three for obscene behaviour. Data from fiscal year 2024-25 is more alarming. Over 4,000 people were arrested for unlawful public behaviour. Among these, 43 individuals were detained for obscene acts, 32 for using abusive and obscene language on public transport, and 16 for physical sexual harassment.

In a bid to address the problem, the Balendra Shah-led government is launching a women-only transportation initiative called the ‘Blue Bus’ service as a pilot project in Kathmandu before considering nationwide rollout. The government first introduced the initiative as part of its 100-point governance reform and later set aside a budget for it in the upcoming fiscal year.

Given the severity of the cases, anyone who thinks the government’s promise to launch a women-only blue bus is a step in the right direction may not be wrong. Even young women and girls who have been harassed or fear becoming victims may find immediate relief when the project sees the light of day. Women who adopt defensive acts such as choosing to sit only beside other women, clutching their bags to protect themselves or avoiding overcrowded buses may no longer feel the need to do so. But women-only buses risk replacing the institutional changes required to make all public transport safe.

What’s wrong with women-only buses? Some might ask. Violence against women often begins at home. Data show that domestic violence is the most prevalent form of violence against Nepali women. Society treats women as objects and grooms men to adopt that view from childhood. This sense of entitlement nurtured in homes ultimately bleeds into the public sphere, where men don’t view women as citizens with equal rights and deserving of respect, but with entitlement, as objects they are free to tamper with. As long as society fosters such a mindset, any women-friendly policies will fail to turn the tide in support of women.

Women-only buses lead to segregation rather than making public transport truly safe. It even forces victims to ‘shoulder the burden’ themselves or alter their travel choices, without addressing the need to change people’s mindset, educate men about consent and uproot patriarchal entitlement. What policymakers also fail to understand is that harassment doesn’t begin and end at public transport—it even occurs at bus stops, on the way to bus stops and even afterwards. Concomitantly, gender-segregated public transport removes individuals who fall outside the binary of men and women.

People often blame victims for the harassment they face. For instance, drawing from the recent bus harassment case, instead of supporting the girl’s cause, most people blamed her in the comment section, asking, “Why are you complaining on Facebook instead of acting right away?” and “Why didn’t you file a complaint?”

Now, consider this: If women take mixed public transport and report that someone harassed them, there is also a risk that they will be reprimanded for not taking the women’s bus. Reportedly, many women who suffer harassment on public buses don’t report because of fear and social stigma. If people go on holding women accountable for men’s inhumane actions, how will they find the courage to report them? Such segregation will only deter victims from reporting crimes.

What should be done then? Nepal lacks specific laws to address harassment in public transport; the government should focus on filling this gap and enabling women to obtain justice without having to navigate a complicated bureaucratic maze rather than introducing seemingly good initiatives like ‘Blue Bus’. The focus should be on implementing practical solutions, such as reducing overcrowding on public transport through strict traffic rules. Cramped buses create the conditions for perpetrators to grope or press against women and easily escape by denying the crime. However, this doesn’t mean that violence against women doesn’t occur on nearly empty buses. Overcrowded or not, women’s safety shouldn’t be compromised under any circumstances.

Support from the public, peers and family is just as vital. Witnesses to harassment often hesitate to act against perpetrators and may even go so far as to blame victims. This, in turn, emboldens harassers. But even a direct confrontation on their part would boost the courage of victims to take action against perpetrators and report these crimes. Families and friends can challenge victim-blaming attitudes that allow harassment to continue.

Long-term solutions such as educational programmes and public campaigns that teach consent and challenge toxic behaviours are equally necessary to create a safer environment. After all, we cannot imagine an equitable society without upholding women’s right to ride any vehicle at any time, free from fear.