Transport and Transport and gender: overview and gender: overview and challenges of an challenges of an emerging research emerging research fieldfield

Margaret GriecoMargaret GriecoProfessor of Transport and SocietyProfessor of Transport and SocietyNapier UniversityNapier UniversityEmail: m.grieco@napier.ac.ukEmail: m.grieco@napier.ac.uk

State of the fieldState of the field

The basic framework literature is now in The basic framework literature is now in place. This literature provides clear place. This literature provides clear indication that gender and transport is a indication that gender and transport is a relevant technical dimension given relevant technical dimension given current concerns about issues of social current concerns about issues of social equity and environmental protectionequity and environmental protection

State of the field (2)State of the field (2)

The incorporation and implementation of The incorporation and implementation of gender and transport perspectives into gender and transport perspectives into operations is not yet a matter of operations is not yet a matter of institutional and professional practice.institutional and professional practice.

State of the field (3)State of the field (3)

Despite the availability of gender policy Despite the availability of gender policy tools such as gender audits, gender tools such as gender audits, gender responsive budgets, gender checklists responsive budgets, gender checklists and replicable gender analyses, these and replicable gender analyses, these tools are not yet widely used within the tools are not yet widely used within the relevant institutional and professional relevant institutional and professional planning communities.planning communities.

State of the field (4)State of the field (4)

It is not simply the case that traditional It is not simply the case that traditional approaches have failed to appreciate and approaches have failed to appreciate and include gender analyses in the provision of include gender analyses in the provision of mobility, accessibility and connectivity needs mobility, accessibility and connectivity needs but it is also the case that new ‘progressive’ but it is also the case that new ‘progressive’ approaches such as those concerned with approaches such as those concerned with environmental protection also typically ignore environmental protection also typically ignore the gender dimension most particularly in the gender dimension most particularly in respect of transport.respect of transport.

State of the field (5)State of the field (5)

Let’s take three examples of present Let’s take three examples of present circumstances that serve to alert us to the circumstances that serve to alert us to the distance yet to go in the proper technical distance yet to go in the proper technical utilisation of gender and transport knowledge utilisation of gender and transport knowledge bases and expertise.bases and expertise. Gender representation in core professional bodiesGender representation in core professional bodies Gender burden of walking busesGender burden of walking buses Gender burden of waste reduction enforcementGender burden of waste reduction enforcement

Deficient practices (1)Deficient practices (1)

The United Kingdom is in the process of The United Kingdom is in the process of trying to establish a National Transport trying to establish a National Transport Centre. This process has gone forward Centre. This process has gone forward with only one woman on an evaluating with only one woman on an evaluating committee of ten, and with no women committee of ten, and with no women involved whatsoever in the core team of involved whatsoever in the core team of the final candidates for the operation of the final candidates for the operation of the centre. Gender does not feature the centre. Gender does not feature substantially within the finalist bid.substantially within the finalist bid.

Deficient practices (2)Deficient practices (2)

The gender burden of the walking bus. The The gender burden of the walking bus. The rush to positively evaluate the walking bus has rush to positively evaluate the walking bus has not been accompanied by an analysis of not been accompanied by an analysis of whose household time is used in this way or of whose household time is used in this way or of the stresses that time management around the the stresses that time management around the walking bus can impose upon women. The walking bus can impose upon women. The benefit to children and the environment of the benefit to children and the environment of the walking bus has drowned out the analysis of walking bus has drowned out the analysis of the consequences for women.the consequences for women.

Deficient practices (3)Deficient practices (3)

The blunt enforcement of household waste reduction. Currently The blunt enforcement of household waste reduction. Currently UK local authorities are seeking to enforce the reduction of UK local authorities are seeking to enforce the reduction of household waste by limiting rubbish collection to once in two household waste by limiting rubbish collection to once in two weeks and by fining households that generate more rubbish than weeks and by fining households that generate more rubbish than the allowance. This blunt enforcement is not adjusted for the allowance. This blunt enforcement is not adjusted for household size nor has it been accompanied by any evaluation of household size nor has it been accompanied by any evaluation of the stress that this may impose upon women who are the most the stress that this may impose upon women who are the most likely managers of household waste. As importantly, these likely managers of household waste. As importantly, these policies have not been accompanied by any analysis of the equity policies have not been accompanied by any analysis of the equity effects in respect of low income. Those with access to cars are effects in respect of low income. Those with access to cars are likely to take their rubbish to official tips whilst those without must likely to take their rubbish to official tips whilst those without must either dump illegally or handle the impact of vermin.either dump illegally or handle the impact of vermin.

Adjusting deficient Adjusting deficient practices (1)practices (1)

It should be a matter of strict institutional It should be a matter of strict institutional protocol that projects, programs and centres in protocol that projects, programs and centres in the field of transport are not funded without an the field of transport are not funded without an equitable gender representation at the senior equitable gender representation at the senior levels. The consequence of failing to adopt levels. The consequence of failing to adopt such a protocol is that the current biases which such a protocol is that the current biases which neglect the user needs of more than half the neglect the user needs of more than half the demographic base of the citizenship continue.demographic base of the citizenship continue.

Adjusting deficient Adjusting deficient practices (2)practices (2)

A European analysis of gender and time A European analysis of gender and time pressures in respect of walking buses and pressures in respect of walking buses and other similar soft transport/ environmental other similar soft transport/ environmental measures should be funded.measures should be funded.

Thought needs to be given to developing social Thought needs to be given to developing social institutions at a European level which can institutions at a European level which can reduce the time stress on women in respect of reduce the time stress on women in respect of mobility, accessibility and connectivity.mobility, accessibility and connectivity.

Adjusting deficient Adjusting deficient practices (3)practices (3)

Reducing the gender burden of reducing Reducing the gender burden of reducing household waste. Commercial institutions household waste. Commercial institutions which make use of excessive packaging which make use of excessive packaging should be the key target in respect of should be the key target in respect of enforcement. Local government needs to enforcement. Local government needs to provide recycling facilities at the very local provide recycling facilities at the very local neighbourhood level – this should include neighbourhood level – this should include green space for the disposal of bio-green space for the disposal of bio-degradeables. Household waste targets degradeables. Household waste targets should take account of household size and should take account of household size and household mobility circumstances. A gender household mobility circumstances. A gender analysis of this issue is long overdue.analysis of this issue is long overdue.

Positive feedbackPositive feedback

The European Union has flagged gender and transport as being The European Union has flagged gender and transport as being of significance though member states still have a long way to go in of significance though member states still have a long way to go in embracing the perspective.embracing the perspective.

Some European projects have begun to pay attention to gender Some European projects have begun to pay attention to gender dimensions in the field of transport though not the main balance of dimensions in the field of transport though not the main balance of the sector by any manner of means.the sector by any manner of means.

There is now a dedicated gender and transport project in There is now a dedicated gender and transport project in TRANSGEN that is doing magnificent work in the mapping of the TRANSGEN that is doing magnificent work in the mapping of the knowledge base on gender and transport and the extent of knowledge base on gender and transport and the extent of improvements which have yet to be made if the European improvements which have yet to be made if the European transport structure and organisation is to be equitable and transport structure and organisation is to be equitable and environmentally friendly.environmentally friendly.

ConclusionConclusion

The focus on gender and transport has been greatly neglected The focus on gender and transport has been greatly neglected despite the availability of framework understandings and evidence despite the availability of framework understandings and evidence of best practices for over twenty years.of best practices for over twenty years.

The adoption of the focus by institutions has been relatively The adoption of the focus by institutions has been relatively unstable. The approach has been adopted and fallen into decay in unstable. The approach has been adopted and fallen into decay in more than one global institution.more than one global institution.

The European Union has the opportunity to systematise the The European Union has the opportunity to systematise the approach and to routinely incorporate it in the field of operational approach and to routinely incorporate it in the field of operational and professional practice. Europe has the opportunity to stabilise and professional practice. Europe has the opportunity to stabilise this technical space and by doing so to deliver benefits to equity this technical space and by doing so to deliver benefits to equity and environment which will spread beyond its borders.and environment which will spread beyond its borders.

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention.attention.

May I thank you in advance for your May I thank you in advance for your future action.future action.

REFERENCESREFERENCES

http://www.eoc.org.uk/PDF/wp_34_gender_equhttp://www.eoc.org.uk/PDF/wp_34_gender_equality_in_transport.pdfality_in_transport.pdf

http://www.earthsummit2002.org/workshop/http://www.earthsummit2002.org/workshop/ http://www.cityshelter.org/13_mobil/20tend.htmhttp://www.cityshelter.org/13_mobil/20tend.htm http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/Resourceshttp://www4.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/Resources

/HTML/Gender-RG/module5/index-p8.html/HTML/Gender-RG/module5/index-p8.html http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/inclusion/women/ptgehttp://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/inclusion/women/ptge

nderaudit?page=5nderaudit?page=5

Paper presented toPaper presented toTRANSGENTRANSGEN

Expert workshop – a new gendered Expert workshop – a new gendered transport architecture for Europetransport architecture for Europe

1414thth June, 2007 June, 2007 DANRO –Danish EU Research Office, DANRO –Danish EU Research Office,

Rue du Trone 98b, BrusselsRue du Trone 98b, Brussels