Are you aware of "good touch" and "bad touch"? In a recent proposal, the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission suggested that men should no longer tailor clothes for women or cut their hair. This move aims to protect women from “bad touch” and deter the unwanted advances of men in certain professions.

The recommendations from the commission came after a meeting on October 28. Himani Agarwal, a member of the commission, shared this information in an interview with PTI on Friday. She said that during the meeting, a suggestion was made that only female tailors should take measurements for women’s clothing and that CCTV cameras should be installed in these areas. The other members who attended the meeting agreed with the proposal that was initially proposed by Babita Chauhan, the chairperson of the commission.

UP women’s commission aims to raise awareness about women’s safety

To further protect women, the commission also recommended that in salons, only female hairdressers should attend to female customers. Agarwal added, “We are of the view that because of men involved in this type of profession, women are molested. They (men) try to indulge in bad touch.” She clarified that the suggestion is not based on the assumption that all men have bad intentions but rather to provide additional safety and comfort to female clients in these settings.

The members of the commission believe that these suggestions could help women feel safer when they go to tailoring shops or salons. Although these are just ideas for now, the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission plans to ask the state government to turn these suggestions into laws. Agarwal also mentioned that installing CCTV cameras in tailoring and salon areas could improve safety and help monitor these places better.

The UP Women’s Commission hopes that these suggestions will start conversations about women’s safety and help people understand the difference between “good touch” and “bad touch,” especially in situations where there is physical contact.