As a woman and an expat, it is important to think about how safe a destination is. It, unfortunately, remains the case that many parts of the world are more unsafe than others especially for women. Thomson Reuters has conducted a poll about the level of danger to women posed by the world's megacities, and we look at some of the results for popular expat destinations.
New Delhi
India has made headlines with shocking reports of sexual assault that seem to occur with a frightening regularity. The country's capital may be well-known as one of India's economic hubs, but it is particularly notorious for the dangers women face on a daily basis, and the city is the worst of the 19 measured for sexual violence. Strong patriarchal cultural norms also affect women's economic opportunities, according to the poll, and it is the third worst for women's access to education, property ownership and financial services. It is the sixth worst city for protection from harmful cultural practices, with issues such as female infanticide being widely reported on. When it comes to access to healthcare, New Delhi is fifth (with one being the worst). Again, issues such as forced sterilisation (though often denied) have been documented in rural parts of the country. Overall, it is the fourth most dangerous city for women.
Jakarta
The densely populated Indonesian capital comes in as the ninth most dangerous city for women, overall. Its worst ranking is for cultural practices, where it is the fourth worst city. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is widely practised in the country. Jakarta is the seventh worst city for risk of sexual violence, with various forms of harassment remaining rife throughout the city and a lax approach from the government towards addressing the causes of sexual abuse. On the other hand, the city is the ninth best regarding access to healthcare and women's control over their reproductive healthcare. Furthermore, it is the seventh best city for women's access to economic resources. There is little segregation of the sexes in the Muslim nation (compared to other Muslim countries), and women, for example, do not need male approval or accompaniment for things such as opening a bank account.
São Paulo
São Paulo is an economic centre and a cultural melting pot not only in Brazil, but the entirety of South America. However, it is the eleventh worst city for women overall. Perhaps surprisingly, given its economic strength and diversity, the city is tied with New Delhi as the worst city for sexual violence against women. Women frequently report being harassed on public transport, for example, with perpetrators often receiving a disproportionately minor penalty, if any. The city also comes in as the sixth worst for access to healthcare, with abortion in almost all cases being illegal in Brazil. São Paulo is in the middle of the pack for economic opportunities, in at tenth place. At the other end of the spectrum, it is the third best city for protection from cultural practices such as FGM, infanticide and forced marriages.
New York
NYC is undisputedly one of the world's best cities, though it is only the seventh safest city for women of the 19 assessed. It may come as a surprise that this city on the world stage is in the middle of the group for the four factors considered. Its highest ranking was fifth best for access to healthcare, with world-renowned health institutions based in New York and the current healthcare system making it accessible to more people than ever. On the other hand, it was joint tenth for economic opportunities in terms of access to things such as education and financial services. New York is also the seventh best city for protection from cultural practices that may be harmful, behind cities such as Moscow, Tokyo, and London. It is also the eighth best city concerning risk of sexual violence, behind Manila, Lagos, and Paris, among others.
Shanghai
The economic centre of mainland China, Shanghai is the fifth least dangerous city for women. The city frequently attracts expats there to work in one of the world's leading economies. It is second only to London when it comes to the best cities for economic opportunity and access to financial resources, suggesting little difference between men and women when it comes to self-determination and management of things such as one's finances. Shanghai is the third safest in terms of sexual violence, and fourth best for access to female-specific healthcare. Its only somewhat middle-of-the-pack ranking is for cultural practices, where it comes in eighth, ahead of the likes of Paris.
