Author: Yedukrishnan V | 20-Jun-2024
As part of the preliminary phase of engaging with various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in each pilot city, PRIA’s MobiliseHER team traveled to Bangalore during the week of June, 10 – 14, 2024. The aim of the visit was to gain relevant insights into the civil society ecosystem in Bangalore and meet different organisations to understand the city through a lens of gender and inclusive mobility. Along with WRI India, PRIA met with a wide range of organisations working on issues pertaining to urban mobility, women’s rights, gender minority rights, civic participation, and various intersectional issues such as disability.
Meeting the representatives from the Association of People with Disability
The MobiliseHer project aims to catalyse the development of gender-responsive mobility systems in Indian cities through participatory planning approaches and stronger involvement of CSOs in urban transport planning and governance systems.
This project seeks to create awareness through data and evidence about gendered differences in mobility patterns, identify gender gaps in existing mobility infrastructure and services, and address them through a participatory approach to transport planning and implementation, working closely with two key stakeholder groups: CSOs (strengthening their capacity to develop and promote gender-responsive mobility initiatives) and government authorities (building institutional capacity to support the adoption, implementation, and institutionalisation of gender-responsive mobility solutions).
Therefore, the team conducted discussions and meetings with representatives of over 13 CSOs, including non-government organisations, citizen/resident groups, academic institutions engaged in community work, and union and association representatives across a range of thematic domains. These discussions provided significant insights into the issues of access to mobility faced by women and marginalised communities, determined by their economic, social, geographical, and cultural contexts.
Each organisation or civil society group brought its own knowledge and expertise in their respective fields of engagement. Organisations like Janaagraha and CIVIC Bangalore, which work primarily on urban civic participation and mobility, respectively, provided insights into the broader landscape of the city and its transport systems. On the other hand, Malleswaram Social and Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative, neighborhood-focused citizen groups advocating for sustainable and walkable cities, offered relevant insights into issues of pedestrian infrastructure and last-mile connectivity in the city.
Meeting the representatives from the Jannagraha and Jana Urban Space
Meeting with Karnataka Ward Samiti Balaga was helpful in understanding the challenges in Bangalore regarding the democratic representation of citizens in the city’s planning process, as elections to the local ward committees reportedly have not been held for a few years. Going beyond the conventional notion of gender binaries, we connected with gender minorities to understand how they perceive the city’s transport landscape. Meeting with ‘Jeeva’ was extremely insightful as we talked to transgender community representatives about the problems they face while using transport facilities. The team also visited the office of the Association of Persons with Disability, where the specific mobility needs and challenges of people with different disabilities were deliberated upon. Adding to our understanding of the topic from a wider lens, the Centre for Social Action at Christ University and the Centre for Sustainability at Ramaiah Institute of Management, which are involved in various social action programs and research projects, respectively, presented their insights from an academic perspective.
Meeting the representatives from the Jeeva
To understand the specific issues faced by working-class women from lower social strata engaged in informal occupations, our teams also spoke to representatives from organisations like Hasiru Dala and the Garment and Textile Workers Union. Hasiru Dala works for the welfare of waste picker communities, mainly consisting of migrant workers, while the Garment Workers Union voices the needs of garment workers in Bangalore, who constitute most of the informally working women in the city. Discussions with both groups provided specific insights into how poor informal workers living on the periphery of the city find it difficult to commute to work, as their needs are often neglected by authorities. Additionally, many CSOs reported the need to rationalise the bus routes in the city, which are currently inadequate to cater to the last-mile connectivity needs, particularly for women.
Conducting meetings with organisations working on diverse issues related to inclusive mobility helped the team acknowledge the heterogeneity of various communities and the issues they face in accessing public spaces, particularly urban transport systems. Understanding the perceptions of these CSOs on the travel patterns and needs of women and marginalised communities helped both the teams develop a deeper perspective on the project’s context that pertains specifically to Bangalore. This understanding is crucial for considering the key issues while moving forward with the implementation of MobiliseHER in the city.
Working at PRIA, often leads us to various cities across the country. Each trip is an opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of different communities.
Mr. Yedukrishnan V has recently joined PRIA after gaining valuable experience in the development sector. Drawing from his journey in the social sector and personal encounters in Kerala, he emphasises the importance of participatory governance and research in empowering marginalised communities.'
Ms. Meghna Sandhir, along with our team members, has been engaged in the Drivers, Limiters, and Barriers to Women's Trust in Digital Platforms Project since last year. She is blogging about her firsthand experiences from visiting our project sites in India.
