WRI India Sets up Platform for Gender-Inclusive Urban Transport

In a unique event that brought together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders, the third edition of WRI India's annual gender and mobility convening, Uddeshya 2025, launched significant initiatives aimed at transforming urban mobility for women across Indian cities.

The day-long conference, held in New Delhi on March 5, unveiled two major platforms: a Community of Practice (CoP) for Gender-Responsive Mobility and the MobiliseHER website, both designed to address the persistent challenges women face in accessing safe and efficient transportation in urban India.

"With an increase in the allocation for urban development schemes in the budget, we need concrete ideas to make mobility more accessible for women," said Dr. Shamika Ravi, member of the Economic Council and Advisor to the Prime Minister. "While women's labor force participation has increased to over 41% over the last few years, most of the increase has been in rural areas due to strong policy focus. We need similar research-backed ideas for urban areas."

The timing of these initiatives coincides with the Government of India's ambitious transportation projects, including the PM E-Bus Sewa scheme, PM E-Drive, and expanding metro networks across cities, creating a unique opportunity to integrate gender-responsive design from the ground up.

Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), emphasized that the newly launched Community of Practice will "foster dialogue, share knowledge, and scale up collaboration for gender-responsive mobility" by bringing together diverse stakeholders to drive meaningful change.

The European Union, a key partner in the MobiliseHER project, represented by Delphine Brissonneau, underscored that "inclusive urban mobility promotes economic empowerment for women and other vulnerable demographic groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children."

A highlight of the event was "Sutradhaar — Unfolding Journeys, Connecting People," which shared real-life experiences of citizens navigating public transport systems. The convening concluded with the Uddeshya Awards, recognizing individuals like Varsha Modak, a bus conductor from Pune, and organizations such as the Samarthyam Foundation for their contributions to equitable mobility.

Dr. Sudhir Sharma from the United Nations Environment Programme noted that the transition to electric mobility must be both green and inclusive, creating equitable opportunities in the e-mobility workforce through targeted initiatives.

These developments come at a critical time when urban planners are recognizing that transportation is not gender-neutral, with women often facing unique safety concerns, complex travel patterns due to caregiving responsibilities, and limited access to private vehicles.

As Madhav Pai, CEO of WRI India, summed up: "By bringing together diverse stakeholders, Uddeshya facilitates conversations that address the challenges of implementing policy and unlock pathways for collective action, inspiring innovative approaches to build transport systems that are accessible, equitable, and reflective of the varied needs of India's population."