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The Corner
Guldeste Guluzade
Azerbaijan
Most streets of Baku are unsafe and hostile for women and queers due to their design and location. There is a cultural practice that women* need a company to go out in the streets in the dark or even sometimes in daylight to have more security. Unfortunately, there are many reported (and mostly unreported or uninvestigated) cases of women* facing harassment in public spaces in Baku. Most of the incidents happen in side streets with poor lighting and narrow sidewalks. Also, the local chaikhanas (where mostly cishet men come together to play board games and drink tea) cover the corners of the inner streets of suburban areas, making it very hard for women to pass by due to the risk of harassment or general discomfort of being subjected by men.