Angie Palacios
Ejecutiva principal, Dirección de hábitat y movilidad sostenible, CAF -banco de desarrollo de América Latina-
A key argument in advocating for the inclusion of a gender perspective in urban mobility planning is that understanding how women move provides insights into how the most vulnerable populations navigate cities. This idea has been used for years to emphasize the importance of integrating gender considerations in transportation planning, based on a seemingly simple premise: transportation is not gender neutral. It is systematically shaped by biases that influence how systems are designed, implemented, and operated. While well-intentioned, this argument has its limitations. Doesn’t it overlook those who also face systemic barriers but do not fit within the gender binary? In this sense, the mobility and experiences of LGBTI communities are often excluded, often due to societal prejudices and invisibility in studies. Why? Sometimes due to a lack of data or low statistical representation, and at other times due to ignorance or a failure to challenge deeply ingrained gender discrimination still present in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Faced with this reality, Bogotá has taken a bold step forward. With support from CAF, the city has addressed mobility through a more inclusive lens, recognizing not just women but all people across diverse identities and sexual orientations. This marks a significant shift in how urban mobility is analyzed: finally, gender is being understood in its broader definition, including more than just cisgender men and women. By applying an intersectional lens, we can better understand how identity, along with factors such as income, age, and ethnicity, shapes mobility experiences and a person’s relationship with the city. The 2022 Gender and Mobility Survey (EMG 2022), conducted by Bogotá’s Secretariat of Mobility, serves as a foundation for this effort, in addition to qualitative methods to uncover deeper insights.
Perceptions and Realities of Mobility in Bogotá
The study reveals a stark reality that few in the region can ignore, and Bogotá has decided to confront: moving through our cities remains, for many people, a deeply unsafe experience. Unsurprisingly, this perception varies across different groups. For cisgender women, public spaces are where they feel most vulnerable. However, for trans women and bisexual women, public transport poses an even greater safety concern. The study’s findings are alarming: cisgender women experienced sexual violence in public spaces or on public transport six times more often than men in the past year. Young women face a disproportionately high risk, reporting incidents 13 times more frequently than women over 60. Yet, the data reveals an even more troubling reality: LGBTI individuals report even higher rates of sexual violence, with one in two bisexual women experiencing violence in public spaces and transport.
A Shift Toward Alternative Modes of Transport
Another noteworthy finding is the growing reliance on private cars and motorcycles among women, pointing to a critical issue: the loss of women as public transport users. The EMG 2022 shows that 4 out of 10 motorcycle users are women, and 35% of them choose motorcycles because they perceive them as safer than transport. These women also report the most negative perceptions of public transport in the study, highlighting persistent dissatisfaction with the service. This trend aligns with previous CAF studies on motorcycles, which show their increasing use in the region due to perceived advantages such as shorter travel times, greater reach, and flexibility to access more destinations. In Bogotá, motorcycle use among women rose from 2.7% to 3.0% between 2019 and 2023, according to the city’s mobility surveys. Given the unsafe perception of public transport, it’s no surprise that many women seek alternatives that make them feel safer.
Immobility: Another Layer of Inequality
The EMG 2022 also highlights a less visible but equally impactful issue: immobility. Women are seven times more likely than men to have made no trips the previous day due to caregiving responsibilities, and nearly four times more likely when it comes to unpaid domestic work. This not only underscores the persistence of traditional gender roles but also shows how these roles limit women’s access to the city, reflecting the structural inequalities that continue to prevail in the region.
A New Perspective on Mobility
Beyond the numbers, the study raises a critical question: what does it truly mean to move in a city? It challenges us to see mobility as more than just the act of traveling from one place to another; it asks us to recognize it as a human experience, both individual and collective, shaped by factors such as identity, income, age, race, ethnicity, and physical ability. This analysis compliments the significant initiatives led by Bogotá’s city government, such as the implementation of La Rolita, a public transport system operated with a gender perspective and powered by clean energy; the Manzanas del Cuidado (Care Blocks), which provide integrated services for caregivers; and the Bogotá Camina Segura plan, prioritizing pedestrian safety, particularly for women.
In this sense, CAF’s vision for urban mobility is strengthened through collaboration with local governments like Bogotá’s, which recognize that building truly inclusive cities requires addressing the social dynamics of the territory. This study reaffirms the urgency of reimagining our cities and transport systems not merely as means of movement but as spaces where everyone, regardless of who they are, can feel safe, represented, and valued.
For the full report, visit CAF Scioteca: https://scioteca.caf.com/handle/123456789/2255
