In October 2024, PENN's national pledge campaign for women's safety was featured on NDTV — one of India's most-watched news networks — marking a significant milestone in the movement's journey from regional NGO to national conversation.
The Campaign
PENN launched the Pledge for Woman Safety initiative to mobilise citizens, students, and corporate professionals to commit publicly to creating safer environments for women in their homes, workplaces, and communities.
The campaign ran across digital platforms and on-ground events in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru, collecting over 12,000 pledges in its first three weeks.
"We're not asking people to march in the streets. We're asking them to make one specific change in how they behave, speak, and respond in their everyday environments."
— Founder, PENN
NDTV Coverage
The NDTV segment aired on the primetime news hour and featured an interview with PENN's founder alongside footage from the Chennai pledge drive held at a women's college in Nungambakkam.
The broadcast reached an estimated 2.4 million viewers and triggered a wave of organic social media sharing, with #PledgeForWomanSafety trending briefly on X (formerly Twitter) in Tamil Nadu.
Key Highlights
- ✓12,000+ pledges collected across three cities in three weeks
- ✓Featured on NDTV primetime — reaching 2.4 million viewers
- ✓Coverage also picked up by The Hindu, Times of India (Chennai), and Dinamalar
- ✓Campaign extended to 14 colleges and 6 corporates across Tamil Nadu
Why Pledges Matter
PENN's research and field experience show that behavioural change in safety culture starts with individual commitment. A public pledge — even a digital one — creates social accountability. Participants who signed the pledge were 3× more likely to report witnessing harassment, according to PENN's post-campaign survey.
Social Media Response
The campaign's short-form video content, produced by PENN's volunteer communications team, received over 400,000 views across Instagram and YouTube. Actor Revathi shared the campaign to her followers, amplifying the reach significantly.
What Comes Next
Building on the momentum of the pledge campaign, PENN is developing a Community Safety Ambassador programme — training pledge signatories to become local advocates in their apartments, colleges, and workplaces. Interested in becoming an ambassador? Volunteer with us.