Urban mobility : gender-sensitive infrastructure.
Date: 2020-07-24
Institutions: European Institute for Gender Equality
Subjects: care of people with disabilities, gender mainstreaming, public service, urban infrastructure, urban transport

Gender Mainstreaming

Urban mobility
Gender-sensitive infrastructure (1)

Public  services  such  as  transport,  health  centres  and 
care  facilities  play  an  essential  part  in  the  well-being  of 
Europeans.  We  use  public  service  infrastructure  every 
day; it underpins our lives, and is essential for the func-

tioning of society. Infrastructure is meant to deliver ser-
vices that address the diverse needs of women and men 
and contribute to equal opportunities for all.

Urban mobility infrastructure makes everyday life easier

In a survey on the benefits of gender-sensitive infrastruc-
ture  carried  out  by  the  European  Institute  for  Gender 
Equality  (EIGE),  respondents  were  asked  to  rank  these 
four types of infrastructure in relation to urban mobility:

•  public transport,

•  pavements and footpaths,

•  street lights,

•  parks.

The  results  show  that  women  perceived  all  four  infra-
structure  as  more  important  in  enabling  their  everyday 
life than men.

Figure 1. The importance of urban mobility services in enabling participation in different life activities (on 
an ascending scale from 1 to 10)

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Education

Employment

Domestic and
care activities

Physical and
mental health

Women

Men

Social relations

Mobility

Leisure

Women value public transport more than men

Public  transport  emerged  as  the  second  most  impor-
tant  infrastructure  service  in  enabling  the  everyday  lives 
of  people,  after  healthcare  services  and  medical  centres. 
Public  transport  had  a  positive  impact  on  participation  in 
education and employment, both for women and men. The 
results  show  that  women  perceive  public  transport  infra-
structure services to be more helpful for their everyday life:

•  40  %  of  women  said  that  public  transport  had  been 
‘very important’ in enabling them to participate in edu-
cation, compared to 32 % of men;

•  42 % of women regarded transport as ‘very important’ 
in  enabling  their  participation  in  employment,  com-
pared to 33 % of men.

(1)  EIGE’s work in this field is based on the conceptual framework and methodology to assess the benefits of gender equality through the provision of public 

infrastructure, developed by Dr Gloria Alarcón García and Dr José Colino Sueiras (University of Murcia, Spain).  
EIGE conducted a restricted survey in the 28 EU Member States (EU-28) on the benefits of gender-sensitive infrastructure. Dr Gloria Alarcón García lead 
the survey design, and the EIGENET framework of contractors was engaged in the survey implementation, involving 23 organisations and consortiums.  
The later analysis of the survey results was carried out by a research group led by the University of Murcia, Spain. Authors include Dr Gloria Alarcón García 
(principal researcher and research group leader), Dr Tindara Addabbo, Dr Edgardo Ayala Gaytan, Dr Estela Fernandez Sabiote, Dr María Rubio Aparicio, Dr 
Andreu Castellet, Dr Angela O’Hagan, Dr José Manuel Mayor. 
EIGE’s Gender Mainstreaming team coordinated the work. Dr Vaida Obelene, Dr Paula Franklin and Dr Irene Riobóo Lestón provided quality assurance 
and carried out further analysis of the data. 

 
 
 
Figure 2. The importance of public transport in enabling participation in different life activities (on an 
ascending scale from 1 to 10)

e
c
n
a
t
r
o
p
m

i

n
a
e
M

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7.28

6.92

7.14

6.55

6.29

5.81

6.59

6.1

6.63

6.18

7.76

7.53

6.91

6.52

Education

Employment

Domestic/
care work

Health

Social
relations

Mobility

Leisure

"
t
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a
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r
o
p
m

i
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e
v
"
%

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Women´s mean

Men´s mean

% Women_very important

% Men_very important

NB: The left axis of the graph shows the mean importance, which was calculated separately for women and men based on the responses 

using the 10-point scale. ‘Very important’ merges the answer choices 9 and 10 of the 10-point scale. The right axis of the graph shows the 

percentage of women and the percentage of men who answered options 9 or 10 of the 10-point scale.

In  addition  to  enabling  participation  in  education  and 
employment, women perceived public transport as more 
important than men in allowing them to participate in lei-

sure  time  activities,  carry  out  domestic  chores  and  take 
care  of  children  and/or  infirm  adults,  as  well  as  to  take 
care of their physical and mental health.

Figure 3. The importance of urban mobility services in enabling participation in different life activities, by 
employment status (on an ascending scale from 1 to 10)

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Education

Employment

Domestic and
care activities

Physical and
mental health

Social relations

Mobility

Women - Out of employment

Women - In employment

Men - Out of employment

Men - In employment

European Institutefor Gender EqualityUrban mobility. Gender-sensitive infrastructure 
 
 
Urban planning impacts safety, income and quality of life

EIGE’s  survey  results  show  that  public  space  infrastruc-
ture  –  pedestrian  areas,  street  lights  and  green  infra-
structure – has a greater impact on women’s urban mo-
bility than on men’s. Pedestrian infrastructure were more 
important  to  women  as  an  enabler  of  employment  and 
for  their  social  relations  in  the  community.  Women  also 
ranked  street  lighting  infrastructure  as  more  important 
to their urban mobility, their participation in employment 

and social relations outside the family, as well as an ena-

bler of domestic and care work.

Public space infrastructure was also perceived differently 

by women and men. The data lead to the conclusion that 

urban  planning  impacts  on  women’s  safety,  movement 

and even income, contributing directly to livelihoods and 

quality of life.

Figure 4. Difference in importance of public spaces to enable various life activities for women and men (*)

Social relations*

Domestic and care work*

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

Education*

Physical and mental health*

0.0

Employment*

Mobility*

Leisure*

Street lights in the residential area enable

Sidewalks and pedestrian paths enable

Parks and green spaces enable

(*)  The  difference  between  women  and  men  reached  statistical  significance  (p  >  0.05)  in  all  cases.  In  the  figure,  the  gap  between  mean 

scores shows the difference: the men’s mean score is subtracted from that of the women’s. No difference would mark zero (0); the positive 

result signals that women perceive the infrastructure service to be more important.

Urban mobility. Gender-sensitive infrastructureEuropean Institutefor Gender EqualityThe European Parliament resolution on the role of women 
in  the  green  economy  (2012),  states  that  it  is  necessary  to 
introduce more walking and cycling routes and shorter dis-
tances to services to improve women’s transport opportu-
nities (2). Relevant public space infrastructure enables wom-
en’s  urban  mobility,  while  poorly  developed  infrastructure 
creates barriers. For example, an essential prerequisite for 
the  usability  of  public  transport  is  that  it  is  within  walking 
distance (3). Perceived threats due to poorly-lit areas may re-
sult in women’s reluctance to move around in the evening. 
Narrow  or  too  high  pavements  pose  difficulties  for  pram 
and wheelchair users or people who need walking aids.

The  unequal  amount  of  time  spent  on  domestic  tasks 
has an impact on the ways in which women and men use 
and  need  public  transport  and  public  space  infrastruc-
ture.  The  European  Commission’s  Directorate-General 
for  Mobility  and  Transport  report  She  Moves  –  Women’s 
issues  in  transportation  (2014)  stresses  that  while  many 
of the challenges in gender mobility and travel patterns 
have  been  extensively  researched,  they  have  received 
limited  attention  in  developing  gender-specific  policies 
and programmes. The report calls for regular gender im-
pact  assessments  of  transport  policies  to  monitor  their 
contribution to a gender-neutral transport system (4).

People on lower incomes value access to urban mobility more

Women and men perceived the importance of urban mo-
bility  differently,  depending  on  their  income  levels.  The 
European Parliament study on Social Inclusion in EU Public 
Transport (2015) states that, in general, people with lower 
incomes  have  less  access  to  private  modes  of  transport 
and  are  more  likely  to  use  public  transport.  They  also 
travel  shorter  distances  and  are  more  sensitive  to  pub-
lic  transport  fares.  The  study  emphasises  that  access  to 
public  transport  is  particularly  important  for  the  many 
people who do not own or cannot use a car, such as per-
sons  with  a  disability,  older  people,  children  and  young 
people,  women  and  people  on  low  incomes.  For  these 
user groups, the availability, accessibility and affordability 
of  public  transport  has  a major  role  to  play  in  improving 
their quality of life and social inclusion (5).

The results show that the lower the income, the more im-
portant  urban  mobility  infrastructure  was  in  helping  the 
everyday  lives  of  women  and  men.  In  the  two  lowest  in-
come groups, urban mobility infrastructure was more im-
portant to women than men. Women on low incomes saw 
these infrastructure services as an enabler for education, 
employment,  domestic  and  care  work,  social  relations 
and taking care of physical and mental health.

In  the  older  age  groups  (50  +  years),  women  perceived 
public  infrastructure  services  as  more  important  in  ena-
bling  mobility  than  men.  In  the  European  context  of  the 
ageing  population,  gender  and  age  specific  mobility  re-
quire urgent attention by policymakers.

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(2)  European Parliament resolution of 11 September 2012 on the role of women in the green economy. Available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/

getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P7-TA-2012-0321+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN

(3)  Center Nahverkehr Berlin, target group-oriented transportation planning. Available at: http://www.civitas-initiative.eu/sites/default/files/mobilitaet_nv_1_

baggerunge_b_0.pdf

(4)  European Commission, She Moves – Women’s issues in transportation, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2014. Available at: https://

wiit-paris2014.sciencesconf.org/conference/wiit-paris2014/pages/shemoves_wiit_web_2.pdf

(5)  European Parliament, Social Inclusion in EU Public Transport – Study, 2015. Available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/540351/

IPOL_STU(2015)540351_EN.pdf

European Institutefor Gender EqualityUrban mobility. Gender-sensitive infrastructure 
 
Figure 5. The importance of urban mobility services in enabling participation in different life activities, by 
income group (on an ascending scale from 1 to 10)

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

lowest
income

2nd quartile

3rd quartile

Women

highest
income

lowest
income

2nd quartile

3rd quartile

Men

highest
income

Education
Physical and mental health

Employment
Social relations

Domestic and care activities
Mobility

Figure 6. The importance of urban mobility services in enabling participation in different life activities, by 
age (on an ascending scale from 1 to 10)

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

<=25

26-35

36-50
Women

51-65

>=66

<=25

26-35

36-50
Men

51-65

>=66

Education
Physical and mental health

Employment
Social relations

Domestic and care activities
Mobility

Conclusions

EIGE’s  survey  highlighted  gender  differences  in  the  per-
ceived  importance  of  public  transport,  pavements  and 
footpaths, street lights and parks for everyday life. Wom-
en  respondents,  regardless  of  their  employment  status, 
thought  that  public  transport  was  important  in  enabling 
everyday  life  activities.  This  shows  that  gender  differenc-
es  in  use  of  transport  are  due  to  the  division  of  roles  in 
the  labour  market  and  in  the  family.  In  turn,  this  affects 
women’s employment conditions, income levels and mo-
bility needs (6). Therefore, mainstreaming gender into ur-

ban mobility infrastructure and service planning can help 
tackle gender inequalities.

Women and men would benefit more from public trans-
port  systems  that  are  organised  to  suit  their  needs. 
For  example,  women,  who  are  the  main  users  of  public 
transport,  experience  problems  related  to  long  waiting 
times,  safety  and  long  distances  from  facilities,  such  as 
schools,  health  centres  and  shops  (7).  Close  attention 
needs  to  be  paid  to:  the  availability  of  public  transport 
outside  rush  hours;  the  safety  and  security  conditions 

(6)  Civitas  policy  note,  Smart  Choices  for  Cities  –  Gender  equality  and  mobility:  mind  the  gap!,  2014.  Available  at:  http://www.civitas.eu/content/civitas-poli-

cy-note-gender-equality-and-mobility-mind-gap

(7)  EIGE ‘Gender mainstreaming – Transport’. Available at: http://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/sectoral-areas/transport#[1type

Urban mobility. Gender-sensitive infrastructureEuropean Institutefor Gender Equalityon  vehicles  and  at  transport  stations;  and  the  physical 
and financial accessibility of transport facilities for wom-

en  with  small  children,  older  people  and  persons  with 
a disability (8).

Benefits of mainstreaming gender into urban mobility 
infrastructure

Women’s mobility patterns are closely related to physical 
and  economic  independence.  As  such,  the  adoption  of 
a gender perspective in urban mobility policies is particu-
larly  relevant  for  reducing  economic  and  social  inequal-
ities  (9).  Gender  appropriate  mobility  infrastructure  can 
support  sustainable  economic  growth  and  employment, 
while also helping to build social integration (10).

Part of the European Commission’s Urban Mobility Package 
(2013) (11) is a Civitas initiative, which is a network of cities ded-
icated to cleaner, better transport in Europe and beyond (12). 
The  Civitas  policy  note:  Gender  equality  and  mobility:  mind 
the  gap!  (2014)  (13)  focuses  on  the  topic  of  gender-sensitive 
mobility planning. The note stresses that greater efforts are 
needed  to  better  understand  the  rationale  and  the  effects 
of  gender  differences  in  mobility  patterns.  The  usage  and 

the impacts of the design, delivery and investment in public 
infrastructure must be analysed from a gender perspective 
to ensure that women and men benefit in appropriate and 
equal ways from public resources.

Gender  mainstreaming  can  support  the  planning  of  ser-
vices that are delivered through the built environment to 
meet the different needs of women and men, and thereby 
enable the full potential of all people. In practice, what is 
required is adequate, gender-sensitive statistical data and 
research on the multiple factors affecting urban mobility 
at the local, national and EU levels (14). Traffic planners and 
policymakers  also  need  to  consider  gender  from  a  user 
perspective, by integrating women’s needs and interests 
in transport policy and incorporating the voices of women 
users in planning (15).

About EIGE’s survey

EIGE  conducted  a  restricted  survey  on  the  benefits  of 
gender-sensitive  infrastructure.  The  survey  asked  5  378 
women and men in the EU about nine infrastructure ser-
vices, and covered seven activities of daily life.

All  the  respondents,  regardless  of  whether  they  used 
the  infrastructure  services  or  not,  were  asked  to  assess 
the importance of the existing infrastructure services for 

(8)  European Parliament, 2015.

(9)  Civitas, 2014.

everyday activities on a scale from 1 to 10.

This  factsheet  is  part  of  a  series  on  gender  equality  and 
infrastructure.  You  can  find  our  other  factsheets  on  care 
infrastructure and health service infrastructure, as well as 
the methodological report on EIGE’s website: https://eige.
europa.eu/

(10)  European Parliament Think Tank, urban mobility. Available at: https://epthinktank.eu/2014/02/15/urban-mobility/

(11)  European Commission, Urban Mobility Package. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/urban_mobility_en

(12)  Available at: http://www.civitas-initiative.eu/about-us-page

(13)  Civitas, 2014.

(14)  Civitas, 2014.

(15)  European Commission, ‘Final report summary – Transgen (Gender mainstreaming European transport research and policies; building the knowledge basis 

and mapping good practices)’, 2007. Available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/47480_en.html

European Institute for Gender Equality

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is the EU knowledge 
centre on gender equality. EIGE supports policymakers and all relevant 
institutions in their efforts to make equality between women and men 
a reality for all Europeans by providing them with specific expertise and 
comparable and reliable data on gender equality in Europe.
© European Institute for Gender Equality, 2020

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Urban mobility. Gender-sensitive infrastructureEuropean Institutefor Gender Equality