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PURPOSE OF STUDY

Women's Safety Audit in Public Transport in Lahore –Pakistan’sfirst women safety audit providing baseline on women’sexperiences of safety and crime incidents in public transport inLahore.

• To collect baseline data and provide recommendations onwomen’s & girls’ mobility to identify barriers and increasesafety and security for women and girls using publictransport in Lahore.

• Provide policy recommendations with regard to gaps inservices to help the authorities to improve the publictransport infrastructure and services so that there is timelyand proper response to, and prevention of, violence againstwomen and girls.

• Highlight the importance of creating space for theparticipation of women and girls in public transportpolicymaking and programme design.

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FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS

• Non-availability of Sex Disaggregated Data. Much needed in policy analysis and further improvements in the design, planning and provision of infrastructure and services in public transport.

• Possession of Bus Cards Yes21%

No79%

Yes

No

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SAFETY CONCERNS AT BUS STOPS

• 82% women commuters face harassment at the bus stops

• Harassment at LTC bus stops is much higher than Metro bus stops. (78.6% vs 43.7%)

• The youngest age group (20-29 years) among the samplerespondents faced most of the sexual harassment compared toolder women

• Housewives are the most venerable group facing harassment,followed by domestic workers, students and working women.

• Staring, stalking, obscene gesturing, whistling, passing sexualcomments, touching

• Both the qualitative and quantitative data revealed thatwomen face sexual harassment at bus stops by passerby also;particularly the males on motor bikes give passing commentsand make vulgar gestures.

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SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN BUSES

• 90% of women commuters travelling in LTC and Metro busesexperienced sexual harassment within the buses.

• Top three types of sexual harassment faced by women inbuses include passing sexual comments, staring and touchingand pushing the body

• In FGDs Physical touching was found commonly held form ofsexual harassment; fear of getting even kidnapped;

• 62% women commuters, 100% Metro drivers and 97% LTCbus drivers/conductors shared to be harassed by fellowpassengers.

• Women commuters also harassed by bus conductors, inwhich touching and pushing body are most common.

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GRAPH 2

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WOMEN’S RESPONSE TOWARDS SEXUAL HARASSMENT

• Due to cultural and behavioral elements attached with thephenomenon of harassment of women in buses and publicplaces, women commuters mostly ignore such incidents anddon’t take any action.

• family, socio-cultural attitudes towards women and media asmain factors for women ignorant attitude towards sexualharassment towards them in buses and public places. Patriarchyand honor is attached with women’s sexuality which preventsthem to react.

• Perception of poor accountability also contributed to underreport/ lack of action

• In the FGDs, participants disclosed that personal safety risksalso restrict women to respond in such situations.

• Patriarchal and discriminatory role of family, unequal treatmentat home where preferential treatment is given to boys alsodiscourages women to retaliate harassment against them.

• Women and girls shared that showing reaction in suchsituations could lead to restriction on their mobility by theirfamilies.

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AWARENESS ABOUT

PRO-WOMEN LAWS & HELPLINES

• 94.8% women and girls were not aware of pro-women

legislations on sexual harassment.

• Almost 99% women and girls had no knowledge about

PPC section 509.

• 98% women & girls have not heard of any Helpline service

for Women.

• 92% LTC bus drivers/conductors did not have knowledge

and understanding of pro-women laws.

• Almost all the respondents from the Metro and LTC did not

know about the section 509 of PPC.

• None of the bus drivers/conductors had ever used any

Helpline service. LTC drivers/conductors were aware of

LTC helpline.

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DRIVER/CONDUCTOR’S ATTITUDE

• Almost 50% women commuters shared that bus

drivers and conductors show an ignorant

behavior towards the incidences of sexual

harassment in the buses.

• Drivers/Conductors shared that its not their job

to get involved in such incidents. “We try to

avoid such situations” (LTC Conductor)

• LTC and Metro bus drivers and conductors

emphasized the need of organizing trainings on

gender sensitization, safety and protection of

women laws and harassment issues in public

transport.

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ROLE OF POLICE

• Women commuters, bus drivers/conductors, Key

Informants and participants in the FGDs all were of

the opinion that police don’t play its role properly

in such situations

2%

18%

80%

Blammed survivor

Register FIR

Did nothing

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Collect sex-disaggregated data

• There is a dire need to collect sex-disaggregated data to effectively analyze

and address the issues faced by women using public transport.

Make infrastructure and the integrated transport network women-friendly

through gender sensitive planning:

• The construction of bus stops should be reviewed from a gender perspective

to ensure that infrastructure is sensitive to women's and girls' safety concerns.

• The number of bus stops should be increased. The number of seats allocated

to women should be increased on all bus services.

• The Metro bus travel card system should be made simple and woman-friendly.

Special assistance and basic instructions should be provided to women and

girls.

• During rush hour, the number of buses should be increased so that women

can travel safely and comfortably, without overcrowding.

• The Transport Department should plan and design an integrated transport

network for LTC and Metro bus routes, adopting a gender perspective and

emphasizing the safety and security of women and girls.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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Consider the gendered needs of marginalized groups

• Specific groups should be accommodated when designing bus stopinfrastructure, including special seats for the elderly, sick, persons withdisabilities, pregnant women and women with young children. Groups such astransgender individuals should also be accommodated

Prioritize safety and security at bus stops and on buses

• Security alarms and cameras should be installed at bus stops and on buses.

• Women bus conductors should be inducted for women's sections on buses.

• Emergency-only phones should be set up at or near bus stops so that womencan make complaints.

• Mobile Police and Dolphin Force officials should be deployed near bus stops,particularly in the evening and at night.

• Women traffic wardens should be appointed at larger bus stops, particularlyduring rush hour.

• The mandate of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority regarding “the provision ofsafety and security arrangements” for the Metro bus service should be clarified.It should be taken into account to formulate a comprehensive mechanismdealing with security issues facing women and girls.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop a provincial gender policy and action plan

• The Transport Department, with the support of WDD, experts from women's rightsorganizations, and other stakeholders should develop a provincial gender policyand action plan, including a comprehensive component on safe transport.

• The WDD should play its role in monitoring implementation of this action plan.

• There is a strong need for coordination and liaison among various departmentssuch as the Transport Department (including LTC and Metro), local bodies, police,traffic police, PSCA, WDD, PCSW, and policymakers and legislators. This willhelp in understanding and prioritizing the steps to be taken in realizing the genderaction plan.

Strengthen accountability thorough improved monitoring, tracking andsurveillance systems

• Accountability thorough monitoring, tracking and surveillance systems should bestrengthened especially for LTC.

• There should be regular monitoring, analysis and follow up action for complaintsreceived by helplines (LTC/ Metro/ PCSW).

• There is a need to engage elected local government representatives in urban andrural areas to monitor missing facilities at bus stops that lead to furtherharassment of women and girls.

• Women's Protection Committees should be formed to monitor harassment inpublic spaces. Women councilors may play active role in this regard.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Provide mandatory gender sensitization training to bus drivers, conductors an helpline operators

• Mandatory gender sensitization training and refresher courses onsexual harassment should include sensitization on the safety ofmarginalized groups including women, young girls, children,disabled persons and transgender individuals. Training should focuson recognizing and eliminating biased behavior towardsharassment.

• A special emphasis must be placed on dealing with transgenderpersons and their needs respectfully. This is particularly importantbecause transgender people are not only marginalized because oftheir gender identity but because they belong to the pooresteconomic group.

Prioritize gender sensitization and training for the police in dealing wih cases of sexual harassment in public spaces

• Law enforcement agencies are responsible for providing safety to all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop social, cultural, and behavior change communication

materials on women's safety concern's

• Information, education and communication material on pro-women

laws and mechanisms, including helplines, should be developed,

and widely disseminated among the public. They should also be

displayed at bus stops.

• Effective communication material should be developed using

innovative approaches to influence hostile behavior.

Increase mass awareness on issues and facilities related to

government transport services.

• Regular announcements on Pakistan Penal Code Section 509

should be introduced targeting both LTC and Metro bus users.

• Mass awareness is required on government security services related

to transport, including helplines, smartphone apps for women, police

stations and women's police help desks, and the benefits and use of

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Pictorial information on harassment must be displayed clearly

at bus stops and on buses in Urdu and other local languages.

This will improve awareness, build public trust and confidence

in the services offered by the government.

• An awareness and sensitization campaign should be conducted

to educate stakeholders on the importance of an individual's

multiple identities (gender, class, ethnicity, age, ability, status,

sexual orientation, etc.) in the context of safety. Mobilizing

communities to take ownership and participate actively in such

campaigns will ensure their sustainability.

• Positive media engagement may be a useful tool in raising

public awareness.

• Under the 2017 Chief Minister's Women's Empowerment

Packages and other means, the WDD, along with the Transport

Department, must take more initiatives such as awareness

campaigns and designation of safe spaces for women and girls

at bus stops

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Ensure gender friendly maintenance of bus stops.

• Bus stop maintenance should be a top priority for the Transport Department, LTC and Metro bus & LG & CD.

• Proper facilities at bus stops should be available andmaintained. This includes adequate seating arrangements,lights, ramps, lavatories, dustbins and drinking water facilities.

• Prominent signage, including route maps, should be displayed at bus stops and on buses, in both Urdu and English.

• Cleanliness and maintenance of public lavatories should be theresponsibility of the LTC and Metro bus managementcompanies.

Display and implement the code of conduct

• The code of conduct should be displayed prominently in Urdu at Metrobus stations and on buses.

• The authorities should take strict action to implement the code ofconduct.

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