Making public transport safer for women : gender based planning and transport policy of India

Abstract

Owing to their distinct social roles and economic activities, women and men have distinctive transport needs and travel patterns. As transit users, while safety is a concern for both genders, women being the more vulnerable users, are inclined to be more concerned about personal security. Harassment on public transport is a pressing concern globally. The situation is more critical in the case of developing countries, where the public realm is largely male dominated and ‘social and cultural acceptance of women’s independent travel beyond the home and vicinity of the community’ is constrained. (ADB, 2013a, p.3) Moreover, although the existence and scale of sexual harassment on public transport is significant, yet the subject has been relatively ignored in research and policy, along with opportunities to bolster support of stakeholders (government department, civil society, experts) outside the judiciary and police to safeguard women against crime on public transport. In the context of India, although gender tailored mobility services have been initiated by the government at the national and state level, comprehensive effort to institutionalize a gender perspective within the transport sector’s policy and activities is lacking. Henceforth, the main objective of this research is to investigate how to better link gender needs of security to the transport sector, focusing mainly on the organizational capacity of the government influencing implementation of gender tailored mobility services, to make public transport safer for women in India. A study of United Kingdom encourages one to think that integrated strategic vision and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming transport is an approach which could lead to prevention of crime against women on public transport to a substantial degree in the case of India, subject to collaborative work by all concerned stakeholders. The study also suggests appropriate planning and policy adjustments to complement the emerging gender mobility projects in context with the opportunities presented by mechanisms of gender mainstreaming transport.