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www.TransformingTransportation.org
Women’s Safety in Public Transport
Amit Bhatt, Strategy Head - Integrated Urban Transport,
WRI India Sustainable Cities
Presented at Transforming Transportation 2016
EXISTING SITUATION
Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
Violence against women in public
spaces
Restricts a woman’s freedom of movement
Impacts a woman’s access to economic and social activities
51.4% women faced
sexual harassment while
using public transport
&
49% of men reported to
have witnessed women
being harassed1
According to a study by
the Thomson Reuters
Foundation, Delhi had
the 4th most dangerous
transport system for
women2
Survey of non-working
women in the city
showed that lack of
safety was one of the
biggest reasons for
their decision of not
working3
Source:
1. Jagori, 2010
2. Thomson Reuters Sudarshan and Bhattacharya, 2009
3. July 25th, 2015, Indian Express
EXISTING APPROACH
Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
Technology
Centric Measures
EXAMPLE :
CCTV Cameras and
GPS Tracking
Segregation
Based Measures
EXAMPLE :
Women Only Doors
and Reserved Seats
Photo: EMBARQ / flicker
LIMITATIONS:
EXISTING APPROACH
Absence of
Gender
Disaggregated
Data to
understand
women’s
concerns and
perceptions
Lack of
institutional
capacity and
interdepartmental
coordination
Women Safety
being addressed
in an ad hoc
manner - No
guidance
available
Photo: EMBARQ / flicker
RECOMMENDED APPROACH
Looking at safety
issues in the
entire journey
Focused Group
Discussions and
consultations
with important
stakeholders
Collection of
Gender
Disaggregated
Data
Understanding
difference in
perception and
travel patterns of
men and women
Understanding
specific needs
and challenges
Understanding
the problem
holistically
1. TRAVEL PATTERNS
Women’s travel patterns differ greatly from that of men*
*Source : EMBARQ Public Transport Survey, Bhopal Photo: EMBARQ/ flicker
Safety - Criteria for
choosing mode of
travel for 21% women
and only 10% of men
Work trips - 60% of
all trips made by
men but only 33%
for women
>30% women travel
with dependents
while only <16%
men do so
70% women spend less
than men in their
household on transport
expenses/month
2. STATE OF INFRASTRUCTURE
50% Bus stops
along standard
routes did not have
bus shelters
96 % Bus shelters*
were not well lit and
clearly visible in the
dark
< 75% of the CCTV
cameras were
operational
Emergency numbers
in almost all the
buses were
tampered with
*Shelters available for regular bus routes. Not available
for tata magic and mini bus routes. Photo: EMBARQ India
88% Women been harassed
while using public transport*
40% Women face harassment on
a regular basis
High level of harassment of
women in public transport*
100% believe women harassment
not a prevalent issue
30% believe women responsible
for harassment committed
against them
Biased perception of on-
ground staff on harassment
3. LEVEL OF HARRASSMENT
*Public transport includes regular buses, tata magics and mini buses Photo: EMBARQ/ flicker
4. OTHER SAFETY CONCERNS
Lack of bus shelters
Design of bus
stops
No access to security
Lack of information
Missing street lightsCrowding during
boarding &
alighting
Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
DESIGNING SOLUTIONS
Photo: Meena Kadri/flicker
Multiple factors
contribute to women
feeling unsafe while
using public transport
Single solution will not
be able to solve the
problem
Women’s concerns
and problems should
be mainstreamed
in all aspects to
holistically address
women’s safety
Source: Adapted from Bus Karo 2.0, 2015
1. Service Planning and
Operations
4. Enforcement/
Grievance system
3. Infrastructure
and Vehicles
2. Institutional
Capacity
Solutions in 4 different categories should be implemented to address women
safety in a holistic manner
1. Service Planning and Operations
Contracting, Licensing
and Certification
Protocols
Ensure that the concerns
of women commuters are
incorporated into planning
and operations
Incentivizing Services for
Women
Train staff to address
problems highlighted by
women passengers
The manner in which public transport is planned and operated
Operations Training
Provide services which
encourage women to use
public transport
Source: Adapted from Bus Karo 2.0, 2015
Example:
Stop On Request
Woman travelling alone from 8pm to 6am can hail and stop the bus at any point of
the route not just bus stop.
This reduce length of access and egress trip* and encourages women to use public
transport even after dark
*Journey from origin to public transport stop and from stop to destination Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
2. Institutional Capacity
Management & staff
capacity
Address continuity and
management of projects
Training Programs
To improve capacity of
staff in understanding and
addressing gender
concerns
The capacity of all relevant organisations to understand and address
women’s needs and concerns
Source: Adapted from Bus Karo 2.0, 2015
Example:
Manager of Vigilance and Women’s Safety
Designated to design and manage programmes related to women’s safety
Ensure continuity and management of projects implemented
Examples of duty – Gender Safety Audits of existing and proposed locations for
bus stops, regular audits of CCTV cameras, information display and other safety
measures etc.
Photo: EMBARQ/ flicker
3. Infrastructure and Vehicles
Quality of Street
Infrastructure
Addresses problems of
access to public transport
stops
Ensure that concerns of women are incorporated into
the design of all public transport infrastructure and
rolling stock like stop shelters and buses.
The quality and design of Infrastructure and rolling stock
Design of Public
Transport Infrastructure
Design of Public
Transport Vehicles
Source: Adapted from Bus Karo 2.0, 2015
Example:
Women-Friendly Bus-Stop Design
Ensure shelters are designed to provide safety for women commuters
Examples of safe design elements – transparent material, adequate light,
designated seats and clear display of information
Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
4. Enforcement and Grievance System
Prompt Systems
Provision of systems
which are easily accessible
and responsive to
problems faced by women
passengers
Ensuring access to security and grievance system
Verifications and Checks
Ensuring safety of
passengers by hiring the
right staff for operations
Source: Adapted from Bus Karo 2.0, 2015
Example:
Adequate Number of Mobile Patrol Units
Nirbhaya Vans* arrive at the point of crime - rather than the vehicle being taken to
the police station
Panic buttons on vehicles connected to Nirbhaya Vans
Fast redressel of cases of harassment- Building confidence of women passengers
in reporting cases of harassment
*Mobile patrol vans by Bhopal Police since 2013 Photo: Meena Kadri/ flicker
WOMEN’S SAFETY IN SMART CITIES
Innovation proposed
provides a structure
to addressing
women’s safety in
smart cities
Help in
understanding the
problems of women
commuters
holistically
Help in choosing
appropriate solutions
in addressing the
problem
Photo: EMBARQ/ flicker