Navigating public transport in Nepal is a daily ordeal for commuters, especially women. The moment a woman steps onto a public bus, she fears being exposed to harassment, discomfort, unwanted touch, or a leering look. An incident involving a student who was sexually assaulted on a public bus a few weeks ago has again highlighted the severity of the problem. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. According to Nepal Police, 1,673 people in the Kathmandu Valley were arrested for their involvement in various forms of misconduct on public transport this fiscal year. Of them, four were detained for sexual assault. Yet, the number could be higher. Due to fear and social stigma, these incidents rarely come to light, let alone be reported to the police. Even if women report them, victim-blaming and lengthy legal procedures deter them from seeking justice.

The harassment of women on public transport illustrates a broader issue: women aren’t safe anywhere—inside their homes, on the streets or on public transport. Harassers who feel entitled to women’s physical space never consider women’s bodily autonomy, their right to safe movement and their right to be treated with respect. What has normalised such incidents and emboldened harassers is the silence of other commuters or witnesses, who fail to support the victim. There is also a culture of impunity that dismisses sexual harassment as a minor offence or an unavoidable situation in cramped, overcrowded public vehicles.

The psychological impact of harassment is immeasurable. Victims feel anxious, begin to blame themselves for tolerating the harassment or for not acting out, and in some cases become traumatised for life. Multiple reports indicate that women either give up travelling altogether or limit their travel time when they are exposed to harassment on public transport, which limits their freedom and earning options as well. Other women resort to defensive measures such as sitting or standing beside other women and clutching bags and other objects to shield themselves. However, when women have to protect themselves, the burden of preventing abuse is unfairly shifted from perpetrators, legal mechanisms and institutions to women themselves.

Even as Article 38(3) of the 2015 constitution guarantees that women shall not be subjected to physical or mental violence or exploitation on any grounds and the National Penal Code 2017 criminalises sexual harassment with penalties of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs30,000, Nepal currently lacks a specialised legal framework on harassment in public spaces. It is vital to fill this legal void to help women get justice. Stringent rules that prevent vehicles from carrying passengers beyond their seating capacity and mandate public transport owners to install CCTV cameras are equally necessary. In its budget speech for the fiscal year 2026-27, the government announced plans to launch CCTV-equipped ‘Blue Bus’ services for women’s safety in the Kathmandu Valley. This is a good start, but such interventions must be expanded to other cities and remote areas to ensure women’s safety nationwide. There should be regular public awareness campaigns as well as provision for online reporting.

More importantly, without a shift in social attitudes, institutional reforms alone cannot create safer public spaces. Men—both young and old, at home and in public—must be held accountable for their misogynistic actions. A society cannot claim to uphold gender rights if its women are often compelled to travel in fear.