Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport

The report examines gender inequality in the urban public transport sectors of Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam, finding that transport systems are generally designed for young, fit men and fail to address the specific mobility needs, safety concerns, and employment barriers faced by women. While national constitutions and gender policies in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya provide a foundation for equality, specific transport policies often generalize users and lack explicit gender-responsive measures. The study highlights significant risks of sexual harassment and assault, the underrepresentation of women as drivers and operators due to social stigma and structural barriers, and a lack of gender-disaggregated data to inform policy. It suggests that the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and the rise of online taxi-hailing services present opportunities to integrate gender-sensitive infrastructure and flexible employment for women.

• Urban public transport systems in Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam are not gender-sensitive and fail to accommodate the needs of women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, specifically lacking dedicated seating for pregnant women and accessible public toilets.
• Women face significant safety risks in public transport, including theft at bus stages, groping in crowded vehicles, and sexual harassment. In Nairobi, the #MyDressMyChoice campaign highlighted these issues, leading to legislation criminalizing public stripping with penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment.
• Women are severely underrepresented in the operation of public transport due to gender stereotypes, lack of capital for vehicle investment, and difficult working conditions. For example, in one Nairobi matatu SACCO, only 5 out of 220 drivers are women, and in the Dar es Salaam BRT, there are 4 female drivers compared to approximately 300 males.
• Social stigma and cultural norms act as barriers to women's employment in transport; women drivers are sometimes perceived as prostitutes or are viewed as behaving recklessly, which can lead to family conflict or separation from husbands.
• While women hold some high-level policymaking positions in transport ministries, this does not automatically result in gender-responsive policies, as there is often a lack of awareness regarding specific gender issues and a shortage of gender-disaggregated data.
• Transport policies in Uganda and Tanzania are generally more gender-sensitive than those in Kenya. However, across all three cities, there is a tendency to generalize road users, which overlooks gender-differentiated mobility patterns.
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for transport projects often treat gender in a simplistic manner, such as merely suggesting that both men and women be considered for work or providing separate sanitation facilities during construction, rather than analyzing long-term gender impacts.
• The implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems is viewed as an opportunity to introduce gender-sensitive infrastructure, such as dedicated seats for expectant women and more conducive working hours for female drivers.
• Online taxi and bus-hailing services (e.g., Uber, Little Cab, SWVL) provide a safer and more flexible alternative for women both as users and employees. Little Cab introduced a 'LadyBUG' service specifically operated by and targeting women.

APA

Muhoza, C., Wikman, A., & Chavez, R. D. (2021). Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mainstreaming-gender-in-urban-public-transport-2021.pdf

Chicago

Muhoza, Cassilde, Anna Wikman, and Rocio Diaz Chavez. Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mainstreaming-gender-in-urban-public-transport-2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Muhoza |first1=Cassilde |last2=Wikman |first2=Anna |last3=Chavez |first3=Rocio Diaz |title=Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=May 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mainstreaming-gender-in-urban-public-transport-2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{muhoza2021mainstreaming, author = {Muhoza, Cassilde and Wikman, Anna and Chavez, Rocio Diaz}, title = {{Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mainstreaming-gender-in-urban-public-transport-2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }