Women, Transport and Mobility in Latin America

The National Active Mobility Strategy (ENMA)

Urban mobility is fundamental in offering quality of life to all people in cities. Planning and implementing measures to improve it is increasingly necessary for providing better living conditions. To achieve truly sustainable and inclusive cities, it is important to understand that all people have different needs and experiences in their daily mobility. 

Historically, these differences have not been taken into account in mobility planning in cities, which affects women the most. Therefore, their participation in the spaces and stages of mobility initiatives is key for the design of policies and implementation of projects that are suitable, safe and inclusive for all people: women, children, people with disabilities, older adults and other differentiated groups.

That’s why in GIZ, through the EUROCLIMA+ programme and its Community of Practice “Platform for
Sustainable Urban Mobility in Latin America”, we developed events and actions to make visible and recognize the impact generated by women in different cities and countries in Latin America.

The experiences, best practices, benefits and impacts developed in the region are presented below.

National Active Mobility Strategy with a gender-differentiated approach

With the aim of leaving no one behind and meeting the differentiated needs of people for active mobility, the Colombian Ministry of Transport is developing the National Active Mobility Strategy (ENMA) with a gender-differentiated approach. This initiative, supported by the EUROCLIMA+ programme, will define a series of guidelines that will allow regional and local governments to promote and encourage active mobility, understanding the differences that exist in the different territories of the country.

“It is clear to us that girls, women, people with disabilities and other users of the various active modes have different views. By recognizing this variety of needs in the ENMA we will achieve cities that are more friendly, accessible, inclusive, safe and therefore enjoyable for all.”

Ángela María Orozco, Minister of Transport of Colombia.

The team working on the ENMA is mostly made up of women, who shared their experience of the implementation of this project, which is currently in the diagnostic phase. Read the full article “Promoting active mobility with a gender-differentiated approach in Colombia”

#Movilidad8M: Women Moving Latin America On 10 March, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Platform, with the participation of GIZ and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) organized the virtual event #Movilidad8M: Women Moving Latin America, a virtual conversation space that brought together women from various cities and countries in Latin America to talk, from their perspective, situation and involvement in the sector, about their work and how this has had an influence on generating a gender vision in urban mobility in Latin America.

“We need more people who have different experiences to enter these spaces and that people who have not had them can participate in other experiences so that these truth processes are inclusive.”

Andrea San Gil, from Centro Sostenibilidad Urbana, Costa Rica

Participants included Amarilis Ulloa from Mibús, Panama; Sheyla Guerrero from the Instituto del Transporte, Dominican Republic; Andrea San Gil León, Founder of Expo Bici and Centro Sostenibilidad Urbana, Costa Rica; María Fernanda Ortiz, Mobility Consultant in Colombia; Jone Orbea from UNEP’s MOVES project; and Miriam Monterrubio from GIZ/EUROCLIMA+.

Listen to the rebroadcast of the conversation (in Spanish)

Cycling mobility study: key data on women and urban cycling

Active mobility plays a key role in the updating of the SUMP of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area with support from the EUROCLIMA+ programme. 

In order for the SUMP to include targeted actions and public policies that contribute to an increase in cycling trips, the Cycling Mobility Study was developed, which included in its methodology the disaggregation of information by gender, in order to have a better picture of women’s particular needs and difficulties for Bicycling trips.

Some data, such as lack of knowledge about cycling, different travel patterns, as well as different perceptions of road safety and sexual harassment in the public space, have been of utmost importance for the construction of targeted actions.

Learn about the results of the Cyclist Mobility Study.

Gender and mobility data in Latin America

The lack of information and studies from a gender perspective makes it difficult to generate initiatives that take into account the particular mobility needs of women and other differentiated groups. To raise awareness of this problem and to publicise the information that does exist, graphic materials with key data on gender and mobility in Latin America were shared during the week. These materials are available on the social networks of the Latin American Sustainable Urban Mobility Platform. Through its Gender and Vulnerable Groups line of action, the EUROCLIMA+ programme strengthens mainstreaming of the gender perspective in policies, plans and actions related to NDCs. In this way, it incorporates gender equality and promotes inclusion in its projects and actions, including those for urban mobility

 The EUROCLIMA+ project is commissioned by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.