UC unveils project Nidar to aid service partners amid domestic abuse

Urban Company, Asia's leading marketplace for on-demand home services, has introduced a comprehensive policy against gender-based violence for its fleet of service professionals. This policy, released under the aegis of Project Nidar, will help the company’s active service professionals who are currently facing or have faced domestic violence and abuse by creating awareness and supporting them during challenging times.

Under Project Nidar, Urban Company has partnered with the Invisible Scars Foundation, an NGO supporting survivors of gender-based violence, to spread awareness about domestic abuse and to implement this initiative. The company, with the help of the foundation, will provide counseling, legal assistance and emergency lodging support. Apart from this, the company will provide medical support, beyond the already existing Rs 1 lakh insurance cover, and financial aid of up to Rs 50,000 to service partners seeking help. This policy is applicable to all active service partners on the Urban Company platform in India.

“Urban Company is a people-first organization and the well-being of our Service Partners is one of our core priorities. We recognize the deep and lasting psychological impact of domestic violence and abuse, and want to set up a robust support system for our service partners. Women comprise about 35% of our partner fleet which makes ’Project Nidar’ even more critical and has been carefully crafted with gender experts to not only provide tangible medical and financial support, but also raise awareness about domestic violence and abuse.”, said Abhiraj Singh Bhal, CEO and Co-founder, Urban Company.

To drive awareness about what constitutes domestic violence and the support extended by the platform, Urban Company will release a series of videos. These videos will touch upon topics ranging from ‘What is domestic violence & abuse’ and ‘Types of violence’ to ‘How to report’ and deep dive into the support provided by Urban Company. They will be accessible to all service partners on the Urban Company Partner App. 

"We applaud Urban Company for their courageous move with the workplace domestic violence policy and Project Nidar initiative. In a society where domestic violence is considered a private issue, Urban Company emerges as a visionary brand, creating a safe and empowered environment for partners. Their remarkable effort sets a benchmark, inspiring others to prioritise workforce well-being. This initiative

reflects Urban Company's commitment to addressing domestic violence in the workplace, and we are proud to be their implementation partner for this.", said Ekta Viiveck Verma, Founder, Invisible Scars Foundation.

Gender-based violence¹ is a disturbing societal issue which particularly impacts women in the beauty and wellness sector. According to research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, one in three women in India is likely to have experienced intimate partner violence, and of these victims only one in ten formally report it to the police or healthcare professionals. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, Urban Company has, therefore, initiated Project Nidar to create a safe space for our service partners, by helping them notice signs of abuse and foster a supportive community.