`Delhi - A City of Women’: Vedica Foundation & Delhi Metro inaugurate a mural on women empowerment at Dwarka 

New Delhi, March 13, 2023: Vedica Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to empowering urban women (known for its flagship Vedica Scholars Programme for Women), and Nori Narrative, a young women-led architecture and design firm, have launched the 'City of Women' campaign in collaboration to celebrate, encourage and extend women's freedom to go anywhere anytime.

Aligning this campaign with ongoing International Women's Day activities by DMRC, the City of Women team curated a mural on the theme 'Delhi-NCR as a City of Women' for the Dwarka Sec-14 Metro Station. The powerful mural on women empowerment has been conceptualized and designed by the women-led team at Nori Narrative along with Swati Kharbanda and executed by an all-women team of 12 talented muralists from across the country. It shows women of different age groups and backgrounds confidently claiming public spaces throughout the city.

With an overarching mission and vision of enabling women to have a life of independence and dignity, the 'City for Women' campaign endeavors to change the negative narrative of Delhi-NCR being unsafe for women by encouraging women to venture out freely, fearlessly and claim their space as equal members of the city. This novel campaign by Vedica Foundation intrinsically ties itself to the Delhi Metro and celebrates the role of the expansive public transport system in empowering the women of Delhi by giving them safe mobility, access, and freedom throughout the city.

‘City of Women’ campaign is inspired by Rebecca Solnit's City of Women Project, an international initiative that has its footprints in New York, London, and Belgium.

“The ‘City of Women, Delhi’ campaign intends to change the narrative around women's freedom and build a tribe of fearless and independent women who claim the city and inspire others to do so. The Dwarka sec-14 metro station is today a canvas of hope, resilience, and empowerment. "This project is a testament to the power of art and women's collective action in creating a safer, more inclusive world for all.", said, Anuradha Das Mathur, Founder & Dean, Vedica Foundation.

The mural was inaugurated on March 6 by Vikas Kumar, Managing Director, DMRC, and Dr. Shalini Singh, DMRC’s first lady with the team of muralists, and representatives from Vedica and the Nori Narrative.

Spearheading the digital side of City of Women, Delhi, the campaign mascot ‘Mast Mauli’ conceptualized by the team at Nori Narrative is a vivacious young woman who brings a much-needed change in the narrative. Oozing sass in her bright red saree and white sneakers, Mast Mauli fearlessly personifies the women of Delhi. She is free-spirited and fearless, and as she travels through her beloved city, she transforms into a bold food critic in the lanes of old Delhi, a fearless negotiator at Sarojini market, the life of the part at Hauz Khas, and an inquisitive heritage enthusiast strolling in Mehrauli.