Gender-Based Violence on Public Transportation: A Review of Evidence and Existing Solutions

This policy brief reviews the evidence on interventions to address gender-based violence (GBV), specifically violence against women, in public transport systems, with a focus on developing country settings. Drawing on academic and policy literature, the brief explains women’s travel patterns, explores the types and patterns of abuse reported by women,…

This policy brief reviews the evidence on interventions to address gender-based violence (GBV), specifically violence against women, in public transport systems, with a focus on developing country settings. Drawing on academic and policy literature, the brief explains women’s travel patterns, explores the types and patterns of abuse reported by women, and analyzes the implications of GBV on public transport for women’s psychological, social, and economic well-being. Finally, this brief offers ideas toward an integrated response along with recommendations to strengthen USAID programming and policy.

Key Messages

  • Throughout advanced and emerging market contexts, women face GBV (especially sexual harassment or assault) while using public transportation systems. It is estimated that public transportation is the second most common place where sexual harassment occurs, after public streets.1
  • Women have complex travel patterns and specific mobility needs but often such needs are not recognized or met due to the lack of a gender-sensitive approach in the design of public transportation systems.
  • GBV on public transport is a violation of the fundamental human rights and dignity of women and girls, resulting in adverse consequences for their psychological well-being, education, health, and labor market outcomes.
  • Reliable data are often lacking, and GBV is likely to be underreported. Policymakers and development partners are left without a full grasp of the scale of the problem, let alone an evidence base for a robust response.
  • There are significant evidence gaps on what works to reduce GBV on public transportation. However, available evidence suggests that the following are priorities for policy action and programming: changing underlying social norms that engender sexual harassment or assault, deterring potential offenders, and strengthening institutions to respond effectively to incidents.