Mobility challenges for women: A case study of bus rapid transit Peshawar

Abstract

• Women in Pakistan face significant urban mobility challenges due to limited access to safe transportation and experiences of harassment. • Research focused on women's mobility experiences in Peshawar, particularly with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. • Data collected through interviews, analyzed using statistical tools. • Common modes of travel to BRT stations: walking, taxi/rickshaw, car/bike. • Majority access BRT within 3km radius, mostly during daytime. • Main challenges: harassment at stations and on buses, especially among younger age groups. In Pakistan, women face significant barriers to urban mobility. This is due to limited access to safe, affordable, and sustainable public transportation, exacerbated by socio-cultural norms and experiences of harassment. Addressing these challenges is crucial for promoting gender equality and unlocking women's potential for growth. This research inspects women's mobility experiences and challenges and proposes potential improvements for bus rapid transit (BRT) Peshawar. Interviews were conducted for data collection, and statistical tools and methods were employed to analyze the results. The most common modes of travel to and from the BRT stations were walk (39%&45%) followed by Taxi/Rickshaw (32%each) and car/bike (15%&9%), respectively. Most users accessed the BRT system within a 3km radius (55%) and typically traveled during the daytime (56% from 6–10 am and 51% from 2–6 pm). The main challenges identified, mainly for the younger users, were harassment faced at stations (66% for 18–30 years and 52% for 31–45 years of age groups, respectively) while on the buses with 54% for <18 years and 56% for 18–30 years of age groups, respectively, with a visual type of harassment in major. The study highlights women's unique mobility challenges with Peshawar BRT. Addressing these issues can boost their education and economic prospects, as a major study sample was comprised of lower-income employees (80% having an income less than 40,000 PKR 1 1 When conducting the survey, the average price of 1 US Dollar was 256.5 Pakistani Rupees. ) and middle-aged students (48%). The findings provide valuable insights for BRT Peshawar and future BRT projects in developing countries. Despite separate seats, challenges persist during peak hours due to the absence of partitions between male and female sections within buses and other BRT amenities.

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