How do we better integrate gender equality in the transport sector?
The Swedish Government’s transport policy goals include that the transport system must be gender equal, meaning that transport system equally answers to the transport needs of women and men respectively. Women and men have different travel patterns, but also different values linked to transport. A current study at the Swedish Transport Administration shows that there is great interest in gender equality issues, but the level of knowledge needs to be raised and gender equality aspects must be included earlier in the planning.
Research shows that women generally have more positive attitudes towards climate and road safety measures. Ensuring that the transport system is designed with equal consideration for both women’s and men’s travel habits and values places demands on the working methods of the actors who design the transport system.
During the spring, the Swedish Transport Administration, with the support of Trivector, looked more closely at how gender equality issues are included in different parts of their operations. They have analysed where there is potential to develop the efforts further. The project is part of a larger program – Gender equality integration in government agencies (Jämställdhetsintegrering i statliga myndigheter), JiM.
Analysis of the current situation for gender equality integration
Trivector’s assignment involved making an analysis of the current situation of gender equality integration at the Swedish Transport Administration and based on this, providing proposals for further work. Through interviews with people in different parts of the Swedish Transport Administration’s organization, document analyses, and a workshop, some important conclusions could be drawn. The recommendations focused on what the Swedish Transport Administration can do to better integrate gender equality issues in the planning of the transport system.
Need for inclusion earlier in the planning process
There is great support internally at the Swedish Transport Administration for the transport system to be designed in a gender-equal way. But, at the same time, it can be difficult for the individual to see in which way their own tasks can affect gender equality. One of the conclusions from the analysis was therefore that it is important to increase the level of knowledge in general within the Swedish Transport Administration about what a gender-equal transport system means. It is also important to ensure that the gender aspects are included in the initial stages of planning. In this stage, the decisions made have the greatest impact on gender equality.
More information
If you want to know more about the study above, contact Emma Lund, 010-456 56 30.
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