Author: Administrator. By Alexandra Christy — Winter The two bus programs have ensured that some , women and girls annually ride safely to and from work and school each day. This is a momentous step forward for a country where, in , more than 90 percent of women reported being sexually harassed or robbed of their daily earnings by men on public transportation. For many women, public transportation is their first MeToo moment.
Women-only transportation programs exist in more than a dozen countries. There are women-only subway cars in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, and Dubai. Women-only compartments exist on trains in India, Japan, and Indonesia, among other Asian countries. Guatemala and Malaysia have also experimented with single-sex buses. On the private buses [public motor vehicles PMVs ], the thieves just walk on, and when they see ladies holding their bags, they just grab them or threaten [the women].
Field suggested to Ginigoada board member Dave Conn that the foundation pilot a free, women-only bus program. Parkop, a former human rights lawyer, donated five retired NCD buses. From these, Ginigoada cobbled together one roadworthy vehicle. We cannot solve everything, but we absolutely have power and influence to change the dynamics on public transport instantly.
From to mid, the number of buses rose from 1 to 11, the number of routes from 1 to 6, and the number of riders from 21, to more than , The Meri Seif free-to-ride program also expanded, with two buses in Lae. The pilot was so successful that the Ginigoada Foundation started the M-Bus, a pay-to-ride program, to move the model toward financial sustainability. As demand soared, the media spread word that Port Moresby needed more buses. It really got to me that women in this world are scared to go to work.
This confluence of politics, programs, and people has made the women-only transportation a success. The continuation of the women-only buses has been integral to other efforts. The buses helped Ginigoada Foundation trainees not only attend its program but also get to and from their subsequent jobs safely.
