‘Men should step up’: Ayesha Omar, Aliya Ali speak out on women’s safety

Actors Aliya Ali and Ayesha Omar have called for stronger legal protections, greater accountability, and collective action to ensure women’s safety and rights, sharing their views during an event in London.

While discussing how men perceive the notion of women not feeling safe around them, Omar said that if the roles were reversed and men felt unsafe around women, women would feel deeply ashamed of their actions.

“We will feel terrible about it,” she said, adding, “Men should sit together and really think about it. If your daughter doesn’t feel safe, if my sister doesn’t feel safe, then what could be done to create a safe place for them?”

She further said, “It’s about time men step up and figure out a safe place for women,” adding that men should speak up for women’s safety. Omar also spoke about finding acting as her purpose and said that working in films that signify female empowerment is, for her, the next step in paving the way for the future.

She further elaborated, saying, “If there is no law and order in place, enforcing punishment with force, the system will stay the same.”

Through their remarks, both Ali and Omar highlighted the need for stronger legal protections, greater accountability, and a collective effort to create a safer environment where women’s choices, dignity, and rights are respected.

The post received mocking comments, with some users suggesting that everyone should close their eyes while watching it.

Some users compared her moves to those of children in a school play, while others asked people to turn their faces away from the performance.