AI, technology, progress, but what about women’s safety? Celebrities question our mindsetWomen’s safety continues to be a concern even in 2026. Questions on the safety and dignity of women and girls keep cropping up, from the alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old in Delhi to the disturbing Jamui incident involving a schoolgirl. At the same time, women are constantly under pressure about their bodies and looks and celebrities like Katrina Kaif are also exposed to body-shaming comments. In 2026, why are women still expected to fight for basic safety, dignity and respect? Are we becoming technologically smarter while our mentality towards women continues to deteriorate?We ask celebrities what they think about this growing contradiction and here’s what they have to say:Lack of empathy: Adrija RoyI think that’s the contradiction we’re living with. We’ve progressed so much in terms of technology, but basic empathy seems to be missing. A woman shouldn’t have to think twice before stepping out, and she certainly shouldn’t have to feel ashamed of her body. We need to ask ourselves what kind of progress we’re actually making.Cruel reality: Gulfam Khan HussainWhat era are we living in? Where are people going with their behaviour, attitude? We are definitely deteriorating mentally. We speak about progress, landing on the moon and reaching summits, but the ground reality is cruel. Women are still objectified, girls are still intimidated, children are raped and people are body shamed. Who are these people? How do they live with themselves? In my opinion, women don’t ‘need’ to be stronger, they are stronger in many ways. What is needed is for us to teach the rest of the society how to behave. This is not our culture, we come from a beautiful land of virtue, high moral values, good ethics and discipline. We need to remember that.Need for change: Aalisha PanwarAs a woman, these things stay with you. You hear about a girl being unsafe on the street, you see another woman being judged for her body, and you wonder, when does this actually change? We cannot normalise these things just because they happen every day. They shouldn’t be normal.Without fear: Aishwarya Raj BhakuniWhat worries me most is what we are teaching the next generation. A five-year-old should be thinking about school and toys, not safety. A teenage girl should be able to come back from coaching without fear. And a grown woman should be able to exist in her own body without being constantly judged. That’s the minimum we should be asking for.Technology vs mindset: Neha HarsoraWe have become incredibly advanced technologically, but technology cannot fix a mindset. That has to come from us. Until we learn to respect women, their bodies, their choices, their boundaries and their safety, we cannot really call ourselves a progressive society.