‘Gender equality’A new topic in mobility?

ECOMM 2008 – 5th of June 2008

by Annemie Van Uytven (Mobiel 21, BE)

Overview presentation

- Gender equality: why a topic in mobility?

- Mobile Leuven Women- Description- Goals- Methodology- Results- Recommendations

- CIVITAS MOBILIS: gender issues- Workplan- Selected gender measure by the cities

Gender equality: why a topic in mobility?

- Promoting and implementing sustainable mobility social dimension often left behind

- Gender: a critical dimension of the diversity of travel needs and experiences

- Research (in UK, Ireland and Sweden) differences in the way women and men travel

(travel patterns and transport use)

Gender equality: why a topic in mobility?

- Incorporating gender inclusive mobility

- European Commission: 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development gender mainstreaming

Mobile Leuven Women: description

DESCRIPTION

- qualitative research project in the city of Leuven in 2007 (Belgium, capital of province Flemish-Brabant, 90 000 inhabitants)

- collaboration between City Department of Equal Opportunities and Mobiel 21

- co-financed by: - Federal Ministry of Equal Opportunities- Department of Equal Opportunities of the city of Leuven- The Flemish government

- research on mobility needs of women in the city

Mobile Leuven Women: goals

GOALS

- Realising a research project highlighting the social dimension of mobility

- Investigate whether mobility needs differ between men and women in the city

- Formulate policy recommendations for local and regional authorities

Mobile Leuven Women: methodology

METHODOLOGY - literature study - in-depth interviews with 14 stakeholders in the city of

Leuven - 4 focus groups of different categories of women

- underprivileged women,

- women with young children (age -12),

- professionally active without or with older children,

- senior women citizens (age 65+)

Mobile Leuven Women: results (1)

RESULTS: literature (Belgian situation)- General: differences between men and women in mobility

behaviour

- Travel modes: - women car passenger, on foot - men car driver, bike

- Travel distance: men larger compared to women

- Travel time: men more compared to women

- Travel motives: - men in public domain (work, leisure time)- women in private domain (children and family)

Mobile Leuven Women: results (2)

RESULTS: in-depth interviews- Main question: support for working on ‘gender and

mobility’?

- Interviews with local organisations working on the themes of

- mobility, - women, - underpriviledged people or - senior citizens

- Find out about ideas, problems, best practices about gender and mobility

Mobile Leuven Women: results (3)

RESULTS: in-depth interviews

- For most organisations visited: fairly new topic

- Only for target group ‘underpriviledged women’ some initiatives were taken

Mobile Leuven Women: results (4)

Results: focus groups

- Findings from literature and interviews are basis for discussion

- Organisation of 4 focus groups:1. Underpriviliged women2. Female senior citizens (aged over 65)3. Mothers with young children (-12 years)4. Women without children or with older children (+12)

- Total: 33 participants

Mobile Leuven Women: results (5)

Focus group discussions on:

- Travel motives;

- Travel modes;

- Travel time;

- Difficulties while travelling;

- Organisation of travel;

- Sollutions for mobility problems encountered.

Mobile Leuven Women: results (6)

Results for every target group

1. Underprivileged women:- Primiraly walk or take the bus- Often don’t have driving licence or private car- Struggling to combine work and children- Cycling not very popular, certainly not

amongst migrant women

Mobile Leuven Women: results (7)

2. Mothers with young children

- Very ‘car minded’ - easier to combine tasks (child care, full time employment, daily shopping)

- Work close to home and/or have a part time job

- Not easy to convince to cycle more because of multiple tasks (children, carrying heavy groceries, time management)

Mobile Leuven Women: results (8)

3. Professionally active women without children or with older children

- Primiraly cycle in the city, using cycling bags for groceries

- Commuters mainly use PT (bus and train)

Mobile Leuven Women: results (9)

4. Female senior citizens (65+)

- Primiraly use the bus (free senior pass for all people aged 65 or older)

- Few cycle (reduced fysical ability + busyness and speed of traffic)

- Few use the car (busyness and speed of traffic + children’s advise to stop driving a car)

Mobile Leuven Women: results (10)

General results

- Differences between men and women in travel modes, time, distance and motives

- Gender differences are based on traditional roles and tasks

- Trip chaining is typically a ‘female’ activity, especially for women with younger children

Mobile Leuven Women: policy recommendations

Policy recommendations

- Install shopping bag lockers;

- Install public toilets (clean!);

- Install pram renting system;

- Install benches in the city centre;

- More storage room for bike trailers and carrier cycles;

Mobile Leuven Women: policy recommendations

Policy recommendations- Accessibility of prams on buses and corteousness

on the bus;

- More information regarding car sharing services;

- Lack of communication towards women as a target group for local mobility issues!- involvement of women’s organisations and schools in communication - spread info via shops, day-care centres, doctor’s practices, etc.

CIVITAS MOBILIS: gender issues

CIVITAS MOBILIS (2005-2009)- partners cities: Toulouse (France), Debrecen (Hungary),

Ljubljana (Slovenia), Venice (Italy), and Odense (Denmark)

- striving to create a culture for clean urban mobility in the framework of sustainable development, ensuring involvement of all relevant stakeholders and participation of citizens.

- specific coordination on 5 policy themes across all sites and measures social inclusion and equity in mobility

CIVITAS MOBILIS: workplan gender issues

Workplan gender issues

- Task 1: Identification partners gender focus group

- Task 2: ‘Gender screening’ of all Mobilis-measures

- Task 3: Selection of ‘gender measures’ by every city

- Task 4: Implementation ‘gender measures’ in cities

- Task 5: Compilation of results and recommendations

CIVITAS MOBILIS: selected gender measures (1)

Selection of gender measures by the cities

City of TOULOUSE: integration of gender dimension into evaluation activities in 3 measures

1. Innovative multimodal PT contracts, services and electronic ticketing

2. Awareness raising campaign for changing mobility behaviour

3. Promotion of bicycle use and integration with PT services

CIVITAS MOBILIS: selected gender measures (2)

Selection of gender measures by the cities

- City of Debrecen: survey on citizens’ satisfaction regarding new cycling racks (specific gender focus)

- City of Ljubljana: gender analysis on PT use

CIVITAS MOBILIS: selected gender measures (3)

Selection of gender measures by the cities

City of Venice: new car sharing service survey on users behaviour and needs (specific gender focus)

- City of Odense: interactive traffic training for children (differences in traffic behaviour between boys and girls)

CIVITAS MOBILIS: results

Results

- Results and recommandations will be ready by September 2008

Gender equality: a new topic in mobility?

More information

Annemie Van Uytven

Mobiel 21

Vital Decosterstraat 67A

3000 Leuven (Belgium)

+ 32 16 31 77 01

annemie.van.uytven@mobiel21.be