Public transport and the safety of women in South Africa

The development of transport infrastructure and services typically do not to take gender roles and needs into account and the lack of transport infrastructure that does not take women’s needs into consideration around safety, creates negative impacts on women’s income and safety. Women are at greater risk of violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault on public transport, thus making safety a major concern for women when making a choice on public transportation options. This often has an effect on women’s willingness to travel and thus leading to their economic detriment.