BLOG SURF: No to harassment

Women are the majority users of public transport. This may be because they are less likely to drive a car than men, or less likely to have priority use of a family vehicle.

They are also more likely than men to be poor, making the ownership, re-fuelling and maintenance of a motor vehicle less of an option, especially for women in many developing countries.

We can add this to the pervasive gender stereotypes in some countries dictating whether it is culturally appropriate for women to drive a car, take a bus, or even travel at all, especially on their own.

Logically, public transport systems should be designed with women in mind: their several-stop journeys to access public services; to incorporate care and income earning needs; their management of children and food purchases; their need for well-lit waiting areas, timely and affordable services and good transport information.

Most of these design features are now fairly standard on the public transport projects.