Women and Girls Safety and Security in Public Transport

Abstract

Women and girls are among the commuters for different purposes. Commuting has been shown to have negative consequences like violence on travelers particularly for women and girls. Violence against women and girls is a major public health problem globally, particularly in developing countries including Ethiopia. The current study was conducted with the aim of assessing the women’s and girls’ safety and security in public transport services and to identify factors that contribute to violence against women and girls. For this purpose, multistage sampling techniques were employed. Using the probability sampling technique, 199 respondents were selected. Interview schedule, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were used as data collection instruments. Data analysis was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The major finding of the study shows that 50.8% of women and girls have experienced at least one type of violence while using public transport. The results of the binary logistic model indicated that six variables were found significantly contribute to violence against women and girls in public transport. Therefore, cities have to focus on developing gender-sensitive public transport service plans and policies that consider the special needs of women and girls in public transportation service systems.

Keywords: violence; women; girls; safety; security; public transport

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-9-06

Publication date:May 31^st 2020