SDG 5 is concerned that the development agenda guarantees gender equality in every arena. Ensuring that public transport is safe for women should be regarded as a step towards achieving gender equality.
Article by Dr Theresa W. Devasahayam, SI UN Representative & Secretary Soroptimist International of Singapore
SDG 5 is concerned that the development agenda guarantees gender equality in every arena. Ensuring that public transport is safe for women should be regarded as a step towards achieving gender equality.
Violence against Women (VAW) comes in multiple forms. Sexual harassment or unwanted sexual advances in public spaces is an example of a VAW. Across the world, sexual assault on public transport continues to be prevalent. One report indicated that Jakarta was ranked as having the fifth most dangerous public transportation system in the world for female commuters. In another survey by Thomson Reuters Foundation conducted in 2016, New Delhi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila were listed among the 10 cities in the world with the most unsafe public transport systems for women. In Singapore, it was found that two out of five young women using public transport had been subjected to sexual harassment. Similar figures were gathered in a survey by the Safe Cities for Women Network (SCWN) which found that one in three female commuters of public transport in Thailand were victims of sexual harassment.
Sexual assault on public transport can take various forms from someone touching a part of another person's body in a sexual way to fondling and kissing without the consent of the person. In this regard, ensuring that public transport is safe for women serves to encourage them to stay in waged work. Safe public transport means that women can travel to and from the workplace at any time of the day without fearing for their security.
In a study of victims of sexual harassment on transport in Malaysia, women were found to be anxious to go about their daily routines; while their own families were reluctant that they leave their homes. Some even stopped work! In Pakistan, women openly spoke about the reasons for why they had stopped work, citing the lack of access to safe transportation.
Since unsafe transport has been identified as a barrier to women's participation in waged work, the lack of a safe public transportation system for women should be taken seriously by governments, the private sector and civil society. In fact there is a good reason for why governments should be concerned about providing safe transport to women.
It has been established that a women inclusive labour force actually grows the economy. In 2012, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that an additional $1.6 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP) could be generated globally by reducing the employment-to-population gap. To put it differently, raising female participation could boost GDP. Indonesia is a case in point. ILO estimates that if women's labour force participation rates are raised by 8.2 percentage points (8.6 million women) by 2025, this would add US$ 216.2 billion) to the Indonesian economy. This would suggest that capitalizing on women's labour force participation is integral to the economic growth of the country.
There is another justification for why public transport should be made safe for women. A study found that women are more likely than men to use public transportation. In that same study, it was found that men were more likely to own private vehicles compared with women. In Australia, the Bureau of Statistics found that women of all ages were more likely than men to use public transportation to get to work, school, or university. In 2006, the rate of public transportation use among Australian women was 23 percent, compared with 16 percent for men.
On a more optimistic note, there have been laudable steps taken in the right direction in some countries in recent years to ensure women's safety in public transport. A range of interventions have been adopted. Recently in Malaysia, 'ladies' coaches' on commuter trains and 'ladies' buses' were introduced serving certain routes within and outside the urban complex of Klang Valley. Thailand saw CCTVs installed in some of their public buses. In Indonesia, the rising cases of sexual harassment on public transport prompted two college students to devise an app, Ojesy which allows potential female passengers to use women drivers. Based in Surabaya, the service is now available in 34 cities with over 800 female drivers to serve a growing clientele.
While such interventions may be seen in a positive light, it should be recognized that they are only 'band aid' solutions to the problem. Sexual assault in public transport is a form of violence against women with its roots in male dominance. In that case, campaigns to socialize men about women's rights and gender equality are equally imperative. And they should come hand in hand with treating sexual assault and harassment in public transport as a crime punishable by law.
In order to achieve gender equality in public spaces, this entails bolstering efforts to address the problem of sexual harassment on transport. But while much more needs to be done, efforts in this area need to be sped up as well enabling greater numbers of women to use public transport to engage in activities beyond the home.
ENDNOTES
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Taylor, Michael (2018) “After reports of sexual harassment and murder, ride-hailing apps from Grab to Didi turn to technology to improve safety.” South China Morning Post, 30 October.