Transport poverty and gendered inequalities: Evidence from expert interviews in Karachi

This paper studies the perceptions of transport experts towards the state of transport and mobility barriers faced by women in the context of Karachi, Pakistan, a representative megacity in the global South. It is based on the data gathered by ‘conversations with purpose’ with eleven experts in the transport sector to understand their attitudes towards transport provision and operation. These experts were opportunistically identified based on their presence at transport-related public events in Karachi. It was found that poorly coordinated planning, a lack of effective governance structure and investment have allowed the growth of an almost unregulated and ungovernable informal transport sector in Karachi. Apart from these issues, most experts displayed a patriarchal mindset that manifested itself by demeaning women’s importance and their contributions. Due to the lack of female representation, such views remained unchallenged, and the majority of the informants did not express a desire to integrate women into decision-making or consultation processes. It can thus be argued that improving women’s mobility requires changing the mindset of transport planners, who consider women as mainly responsible for household tasks and therefore beneath their consideration. The paper also suggests some preliminary recommendations to address the issue of breaking away from gender stereotypes in the transport sector. The study contributes to wider academic studies on gender and transport geography and will feed into and shape governmental and non-governmental interventions and policies on public transport in third-world countries.