CIVITAS Policy Note: Gender equality and mobility: mind the gap!

Summary

This Policy Note focuses on gender-sensitive mobility planning. In both the international body of literature and transport planning, the gender dimension of mobility and sustainability has received relatively little attention so far. This is despite the fact that gender is, next to age and income, a significant factor in accounting for differences in mobility behaviour. Moreover, women are recognised as being more likely to adopt sustainable travel behaviours than men.

Based on such considerations, gender-sensitive policy recommendations are drawn: key issues to be tackled are the support of women’s participation in decision-making, the improvement in accessibility, safety and comfort of transport modes and the planning of transport services in response to gender needs.