An Introduction to Women and Mobility in Emerging Economies

Throughout history, transport policies and services have almost always been designed by and for men. There is now a growing awareness among researchers and policy-makers that ignoring women’s needs can impact their ability to use transport.

In this four-week course by Women Mobilize Women, you’ll learn why gender matters in transport and mobility. Focusing particularly on emerging economies, you’ll explore what happens when we bring gender and mobility issues together, and how gender-sensitive planning could improve transport access for everyone.

You do not need to have experience in the specific field of gender and mobility to get the most out of this course. This four-week course will provide you with a thorough introduction to this important topic – the space in which transport planning meets gender inequity. This is an exciting space that can have a direct impact on sustainable, inclusive development and the well-being of women and society around the world. When you have completed this course, you will never see mobility and transport in the same way again.

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Women and Mobility in Emerging Economies
- Understand why we focus on women’s needs
- Discover what happens when we meet women’s mobility needs
Week 2: Women’s mobility patterns and transport needs
- Find out about the typical and traditional mobility patterns of women
- Discover the link between trip purposes, women’s traditional roles, and mobility needs
- Learn how transport policies and solutions have been designed around men’s needs
Week 3: Why women’s transport and mobility needs matter
- Find out how to advocate for women’s transport needs being met
- Recognise how poor access and mobility can entrench poverty and limited life opportunities for women
- Discover how good access and mobility can transform women’s opportunities and those of their families and communities
Week 4: A focus on safety in public transport and public spaces
- Discover the breadth and extent of women’s experiences of harassment
- Recognise how the lack of safety limits women’s lives
- Understand why and how street design and pedestrian planning are not gender-neutral
- Identify and evaluate safety-related interventions at a high level
Week 5: The importance of women working in transport
- Recognise why we need more women in transport positions
- Understand the barriers are to women entering the transport sector
- Consider how to use new technologies to encourage women to enter the sector
- Get to apply your knowledge to develop women-inclusive opportunities
Week 6: Putting it all together: planning, action, evaluation
- Learn how to make the case for collecting gender-specific data for planning
- Find out how to collect gender-data in an inclusive way
- Uncover the concerns women have with sharing personal travel information
- Create an outline for a gender-responsive transport project or plan