ReCAP have engaged Priyanthi Fernando to lead in the exploration of where we are in regard to gender mainstreaming in the rural transport sector. Priyanthi Fernando is a social development consultant who has coordinated pioneering networked research on gender and transport.

It is her contention that despite a decade or more of research into gender and transport, by IFRTD, the World Bank, Universities and other agencies, we have still failed to mainstream gender issues into the sector. Women remain more disadvantaged than men when it comes to mobility and access.

Priyanthi Fernando argues that this is not just a question of 'not knowing' - there is plenty of information out there about women's mobility and access needs etc - but a question of how decision making takes place in the sector, and what information is shared, and how. Maybe the information is inaccessible to many, maybe even with the information available decision makers do not have the capacity or the mandate to integrate gender into transport policy and planning or maybe there are other constraints.

Priyanthi Fernando argues that this is not just a question of 'not knowing' - there is plenty of information out there about women's mobility and access needs etc - but a question of how decision making takes place in the sector, and what information is shared, and how. Maybe the information is inaccessible to many, maybe even with the information available decision makers do not have the capacity or the mandate to integrate gender into transport policy and planning or maybe there are other constraints. This is what we intend to find out through discussions in GATNET (the Gender and Transport Community of Practice) and other forums and through the commissioning of new research and communication outputs.

If you are interested in engaging with this discussion, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You will be able to follow the debate and contribute to discussions. You may also become involved in developing and implementing new research proposals to answer key questions. So please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and/or contact Priyanthi Fernando (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) for further information.