Public Transport, Sexual Harassment, and Social Norms: Some Evidence from South Africa

Policy Brief 215 South Africa has been experiencing rapid urbanisation, with 8 in 10 people expected to be living in urban areas by 2050. This structural change necessitates improved coverage and frequency of transport systems in the country, especially since a significant proportion of the population relies on public transport. According to existing evidence, women and men have different experiences with the usage of public transport. For example, women tend to have non-linear travel patterns (“trip-chains”) between home, work, childcare and shopping, whereas men tend to have more linear travel patterns from home to work and back. This trip-chaining makes transport more costly for women. Women are also more likely to be travelling with babies and children, which means they require safety and easy accessibility on public transport.