Urbana / ELABORATOR Project

Overview

This material presents a workshop-based training on integrating inclusion and gender perspectives into sustainable urban mobility planning. It explains how current mobility systems prioritise commuting and economic productivity, often overlooking care-related and everyday mobility needs. It highlights how this imbalance disproportionately affects women and other vulnerable groups. The material provides practical criteria and approaches to design safer, more inclusive, and accessible mobility systems. It supports cities and practitioners in adopting people-centred and equitable transport solutions.

Highlights

Existing mobility systems mainly prioritise commuting, reflecting a production-oriented structure and overlooking care-related and everyday mobility needs . In contrast, daily mobility includes a wider range of activities such as caregiving, shopping, and social interactions.

Women’s mobility patterns are shaped by unpaid care responsibilities, leading to more complex, multi-purpose, and off-peak trips. Safety concerns, including harassment and fear in public spaces and transport, further influence travel behaviour, particularly for women and other vulnerable groups.

The material introduces the concept of “mobility of care”, which aligns with more sustainable modes such as walking and public transport. It also outlines key criteria for inclusive mobility planning, focusing on safety, accessibility, and quality public space, supported by examples such as Vienna’s gender mainstreaming approach.

Conclusion

This material provides a structured and practical framework for cities to rethink mobility planning through a gender and inclusion lens. It shows that addressing care-related mobility, safety, and accessibility can lead to more sustainable and equitable transport systems. The workshop approach supports capacity building and encourages stakeholder participation, particularly from underrepresented groups. For cities, applying these principles can improve usability, increase public transport uptake, and contribute to climate-neutral and people-centred urban mobility.