“Moving towards gender equitable public transport operations in a post Covid-19 world” makes a series of compelling policy recommendations aiming to improve the mobilities of resource poor women in the aftermath of the pandemic.
The report, produced by Sonal Shah and the Urban Catalysts, and funded under the UK Aid High Volume Transport Applied Research programme, considers qualitative and quantitative evidence gathered during lockdowns in Delhi, Kabul, Dhaka, Kathmandu and Lahore. The authors demonstrate the disproportionate effect of Covid-19 lockdowns on the mobilities of resource poor women who live and work in these cities and who were forced to work during lockdowns in order to support their families. Despite the obvious risks encountered by these women, there is limited understanding by policymakers and influencers of the impact of modified timetables, fare increases, digitalisation and constrained access on their lives and livelihoods.
Recommendations in the report include:
- Building partnerships with women’s unions and membership-based organisations;
- Improving the digital literacy of resource poor women;
- Creating dedicated teams responsible for women’s safety on public transport;
- Introducing multi-modal mobility subsidies for resource poor women; and
- Improving reliability and seat availability on public transport.
The report can be read in full here. For more information, please contact The Urban Catalysts.
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