Women
103 Women Helpline Number
As the first step of this initiative, we collaborated with the Mumbai Police and the Mumbai Police Nirbhaya Squad to amplify awareness of the 103 Helpline Number — a dedicated emergency support service working towards making Mumbai and Maharashtra safer for women and children. Through this initiative, we aim to increase awareness and encourage greater access to immediate assistance, support, and intervention provided by the Mumbai Police for those in distress.
What we have done
2023
Rise Up for Equality
To celebrate the 20th year of the CREATE Foundation, founded in loving memory of Pearl and Alyque Padamsee, Raëll Padamsee presented a very special Festival of Women’s Plays — Rise Up for Equality — in collaboration with the Royal Opera House, supported by the IMC Ladies Wing, and starring the internationally acclaimed Lushin Dubey.
The festival featured powerful and thought-provoking performances, including Bitter Chocolate and Untitled, bringing urgent conversations around women’s and children’s rights and safety to the forefront.
The platform also served as a powerful launchpad for the amplification of 103 Women’s Helpline number, in collaboration with the Mumbai Police and the Nirbhaya Squad, further strengthening the movement towards safer public spaces and responsive support systems for women. The courageous personnel of the Nirbhaya Squad were felicitated on stage for their unwavering commitment to women’s safety.
Together, the initiative was driven by a shared vision — to make Maharashtra the safest state for women and children globally.
2025
In 2025, to keep the momentum going, Raëll Padamsee once again presented Rise Up for Equality at the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium— a theatre festival featuring the internationally acclaimed plays Untitled and Aruna’s Story, performed by the powerhouse performer Lushin Dubey. Once again, the courageous personnel of the Nirbhaya Squad were felicitated on stage.
WOMEN'S DAY SPECIAL IN 2025
A LARGE-SCALE CAMPAIGN WAS UNDERTAKEN FOR THE AMPLIFICATION OF 103 WOMEN’S HELPLINE NUMBER
This large-scale movement gained, and continues to gain, extraordinary momentum, with the support from film stars like Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Sonali Bendre, Varun Dhawan, Boman Irani, Aditya Roy Kapur, Jackie Shroff, Kiara Advani, Suneil Shetty, Jim Sarbh and Falguni Nayar (CEO of Nykaa). For the first time ever, such a large-scale movement went underway.
AMPLIFICATION OF 103 WOMEN’S HELPLINE NUMBER ROLLED OUT ON WOMEN’S DAY 2025
- The campaign made waves on social media, with a reach of over 10 crore.
- Celebrities joined the campaign in support, and more joining…
- 22 striking celebrity hoardings displayed across Mumbai.
- Posters went live on the official social media handles of the Mumbai Police, the Create Foundation, and the celebrities involved.
- Celebrities’ poster slides were played in multiplexes across Mumbai.
- The celebrities’ posters were displayed in 93 police stations in Mumbai and residential buildings.
Faces of the Movement
Voices That Stand With Us (videos)
Advertising Displays
Social Media
Vocational training & Mental Health Support
Within women’s shelter homes, our vocational training and mental health support programmes become powerful pathways to healing, dignity, and independence. By nurturing emotional well-being and resilience alongside practical, employable skills, we create safe spaces for women to process, rebuild, and grow. Through this integrated approach, women rediscover confidence, reclaim their self-worth, and begin to take charge of their lives with renewed strength.
What We’ve Done:
- Vocational training in tie & dye and block printing on fabrics
- Sessions in communication skills to build confidence and self-expression
- Dedicated mental health support through guided conversations, emotional wellness activities, and safe sharing spaces
These initiatives go beyond skill-building—they are designed to heal, empower, and make women truly self-reliant, enabling them to seek employment or even start their own small businesses.
Our goal is simple yet powerful: to help every woman rediscover her inner strength, prioritise her mental well-being, stand on her own feet, and create a future shaped by choice, courage, and hope.
Products Created
SLUMS/ BASTI OUTREACH- INTERVENTION TO EFFECT SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE BASTIS
Sensitization in Bastis & Prevention of Violence Against Women & Children
CREATE Foundation has conducted community engagement sessions bringing together residents from bastis to address critical issues around gender sensitivity and the prevention of violence against women and children.
These sessions have focused on engaging men directly—encouraging a positive shift in attitudes towards their wives, daughters, and families. At the heart of each intervention has been a powerful, emotion-driven 10-minute interactive play in Hindi, performed by actors to create relatability and impact. Well-known celebrities have also been part of these sessions, strengthening outreach and visibility.
Using the forum theatre technique, audiences have not just observed—but actively participated. Men from the community stepped forward to reflect on real-life situations, suggest alternative actions, and collectively explore solutions, making the experience deeply personal and transformative.
Our approach has appealed to:
- Better judgment and personal responsibility
- Awareness of social consequences and stigma
- Emotional connections as a father, husband, son, and brother
- The role of being a protector and upholder of respect.
To ensure lasting impact, these interventions have been continued through engagement with the community.
Nirbhaya Squad Training
Nirbhaya Squad Sensitization Program
Raëll Padamsee’s Create Foundation has initiated a transformative training program for the Nirbhaya Squad personnel across all zones in Mumbai, aimed at strengthening their ability to respond to gender-based violence with empathy and understanding. This vital initiative empowers officers with the tools and insights to handle sensitive situations with heightened awareness, ensuring that every woman and child in Mumbai receives the protection they deserve.
By equipping law enforcement with trauma-informed techniques and fostering a culture of sensitivity, we are not only enhancing the Squad’s ability to protect but also building trust and solidarity within the communities they serve. This program is part of a broader mission to make Mumbai the safest city for women and children, where safety goes hand in hand with respect and dignity.
As the Nirbhaya Squad continues to patrol and safeguard the city, their efforts are supported by these vital training sessions that provide them with the knowledge and confidence to act as protectors in the truest sense, helping create a safer, more secure environment for all.
The Need
Why Sensitivity Training for the Nirbhaya Squad?
- First responders play a critical role in survivor support
- Need for trauma-informed approaches
- Enhancing empathy and understanding reduces secondary trauma
Training Objective
Empowering the Nirbhaya Squad with Knowledge & Sensitivity
- Deepen understanding of gender-based violence
- Strengthen crisis intervention and survivor communication
- Build empathetic and sensitive response systems
- Improve community trust in law enforcement
The CREATE Foundation, Rotary Club of Bombay Pier, in association with APAR Industries, Sneha Foundation, launched the Nirbhaya Training Program for the East Zone of Mumbai Police.
The session was attended by a dedicated batch of 53 officers from the Nirbhaya Squad, who travelled from across the East Zone — including Thane, Belapur, Ghatkopar, and adjoining areas — to be part of this special training. These officers form the frontline of safety for women in distress, working tirelessly 24×7 to respond to emergencies and build trust within communities.
The session marked the formal launch of the Nirbhaya East Zone Program. It set the tone for a larger mission — to make Mumbai the safest city for women and children. By equipping police personnel with skills, sensitivity, and proactive strategies, this initiative builds a stronger foundation of trust between law enforcement and the community.
As one officer said during the program, “Our job becomes easier when society stands with us. Today, we felt heard, supported, and encouraged to do even more.” and we continue to hold more such sessions in various other zones.
Together, we are not just supporting the Nirbhaya Squad — we are strengthening the safety net for every woman and child in our city.
