Washington D.C. – The World Bank is significantly accelerating its global initiative, first launched in 2017, aimed at dismantling deeply rooted gender inequalities within the transport sector. These concerted efforts leverage a multi-faceted approach encompassing operations, capacity building, rigorous analytics, and strategic partnerships.
A key metric highlighting the scale of this commitment is that a substantial 94% of the 159 World Bank-financed transport projects approved between fiscal years 2019 and 2024 have incorporated specific activities designed to bridge gender gaps. These targeted interventions seek to improve women’s access to transport, enhance their safety and security while using transit, and increase their opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship within the sector.
Quantifying the Impact
The impact of these projects is already tangible. To date, these initiatives have directly benefited approximately 2.84 million individuals. Crucially, nearly half of these beneficiaries – 1.4 million – are women. Looking ahead, the projected reach is even more ambitious, with the projects expected to ultimately benefit over 21.2 million women out of a total forecast of 42 million direct beneficiaries globally.
Targeted Initiatives Yielding Results
Across various regions, specific projects demonstrate the diverse ways the World Bank is tackling gender disparities in transport:
In Assam, India, efforts focused on improving ferry services have led to a significant increase in women’s ridership. Through critical infrastructure upgrades and service enhancements, the number of women using ferries has more than doubled, rising from 280,000 to 550,000. Beyond improving access, the initiative also supports women ferry entrepreneurs via the specially designed “Jibondinga Incentive Scheme”, fostering economic empowerment.
In Azerbaijan, targeted policy dialogue supported by the World Bank contributed to a landmark achievement: the removal of approximately 700 legal job restrictions for women. This included eliminating barriers that previously prevented women from entering various roles within the transport sector, opening new avenues for female employment.
Urban transport projects are also showing remarkable results in improving safety, a major concern for women. The Quito Metro Line in Ecuador, for instance, has dramatically improved safety perceptions among its users. An impressive 97% of female passengers surveyed reported feeling safer while using the metro compared to their previous transport options.
Meanwhile, in Senegal, the Dakar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is making significant strides in increasing women’s participation in the transit workforce. Prior to the project, women constituted only 6% of the BRT workforce. Through targeted recruitment and training, this figure has surged to 43%, creating valuable employment opportunities for women in a historically male-dominated field.
Building a Global Network
Recognizing the need to scale up these successful approaches and foster greater collaboration, the World Bank, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), is spearheading the creation of a global “Women in Transport” network. Set to be officially launched in early 2025, this network will bring together other International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and partners to share knowledge, coordinate investments, and amplify impact.
The network will initially focus its efforts on regions where gender disparities in transport are particularly pronounced, specifically Europe and Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. However, there are clear plans for rapid global expansion to ensure that the lessons learned and successful strategies can benefit women in transport across the world.
This intensified focus by the World Bank underscores a growing understanding that investing in gender equality in transport is not just a matter of social equity but is also critical for economic development, improved urban mobility, and building more inclusive and sustainable societies.
