Exploring Transport Mobility Issues and Adaptive Behavior of Women in a Developing Country (2024)

This study explores the mobility issues women in Dhaka, Bangladesh, across all income levels. Women across all income groups reported feeling unsafe while walking public transport at night, harassment in public transport, and social norms that discourage women driving or riding bicycles or motorbikes. For lower-class women, affordability and overcrowding in public transport was a major concern, whereas waiting time, traffic congestion, and harassment while ride-sharing was reported by middle-income and high-income women. The study recommends several policy changes, including measures to address harassment, improve public transportation, promote walking and cycling, improve the design of vehicles for safety and comfort, and incorporate gender action plans in all transport initiatives.