Women’s Safety in Public Transport - Transforming Transportation 2016

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

Women’s Safety in Public TransportA pilot initiative in Bhopal

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

THANK YOU

Amit Bhatt Ranjana Menon

[email protected] [email protected]

Women’s Safety in Public Transport - Transforming Transportation 2016

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Women’s Safety in Public Transport - Transforming Transportation 2016