Week 1
Dates: 23rd to 29th May 2005
Moderator: Jeff Turner (more about Jeff)
Theme: The role of transport in the Millennium Development Goals (demonstrating the link and the importance of access and mobility on MDGs)
Click here to view introduction to theme
Click here to view discussion archive
Summary:
The topic of the role of gender and transport in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), produced a very lively discussion for the first week of the month-long virtual discussion.
1. Why transport and the Millennium Development Goals?
The discussion spelt out quite clearly why we need to be talking about the connection between gender, transport and the MDG's. One reason was there appeared to be a changing policy context. It was acknowledged that within donor agency rhetoric it is beginning to be appreciated that physical access and mobility are embedded within all the MDGs and are fundamental to their successful achievement. As evidence of this changing discourse, a World Bank document, exploring in much more detail the link between transport and the MDGs was referenced by discussants as: http://www.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/transport_poverty/transport_mdg.pdf
However, It was highlighted by some discussants that it is still not appreciated by this new discourse, that in some cases transport services are also needed as without a means of mobility, infrastructure is no solution. It was also pointed out, by Geoff Edmonds, that using roads, as a proxy for transport, ignores the fact that most rural transport does not involve motorised vehicles and does not take place on a road. Simon Done makes the point that improving access to services can be also be achieved by either decentralising services closer to people or in the longer-term facilitating people's migration to service centres.
The other reason for why we were discussing the role of gender and transport in the MDGs was its clear impact. Discussants (Nite Tanzarn, Mika Kunieda, Uganda Ministry of Works) highlighted the impact of access and mobility on various individual elements of the MDGs, such as trade, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, etc. In terms of primary education, Bhisma Rout cited that a study found that the enrolment rate of girl student declines as the villages are situated away from a highway.
However, it was stressed by several discussants (Rachel Flannary, Mika Kunieda Professor Sarkar and Professor Grieco) that perhaps one of the most significant gender and was the interaction between transport and the Maternal Mortality MDG. Professor Grieco highlights that Maternal Mortality ties the journey foregone into a loss of life index. The transport needs of emergency obstetrics care and the failure to develop these in many developing countries makes clear why we need to make link between gender, transport and the maternal mortality MDG, particularly in Africa. In many cases, Africa has the highest maternal mortality rates and maternal mortality rates reduction is a significant focus. Professor Grieco argued that targeted transport arrangements could mean an overnight success in reducing maternal mortality rates – indeed, she argued, some communities in Africa have already demonstrated this.
2. What do we know of the role of transport in the MDGs and what do we know of the gendered nature of this role?
It was also clear that our understanding of the gendered role of transport in MDGs is being informed constantly by a developing body of research. From this knowledge, it was clear that understanding the interaction between transport and the MDGs is not just about access to services, it is also about empowerment, social capital, time poverty and personal security, amongst others. Professor Potgieter highlighted findings from her research of the role of mobility in women's empowerment and interaction of improved mobility with the increased engagement in civil society. Annabel Davis cited her recent research that demonstrates mobility's role in the development of social capital, a key building block of poverty-reduction. William Sabandar highlighted findings from his research of the widespread impacts of improved mobility on the gendered roles within a rural economy. Kyoko Kusakabe highlighted, from research conducted, that socially constructed roles and time use patterns and personal security are as important a constraint in women's mobility as poor physical access.
3. What role do the efforts to achieve the MDGs play in the transport sector?
In terms of the impact that striving to achieve the MDGs have upon the operation of the transport sector. This is particularly the case with respect to the gender equality MDG and the role of the transport sector. Mary Braithwaite makes the point that the sector is a significant employer and should be doing more to promote gender equality in employment and enterprise opportunity. She also says that this should go much further than conventional notions of including women into labour-based maintenance works. It should incorporate opportunities to access higher-skilled, better-paid work and the realms of transport planning and decision-making.
4. Solutions and future directions?
In terms of solutions and future directions offered in
the first weeks discussion, the first was accessibility planning. Geoff
Edmonds highlighted references for the ILO approach to Accessibility Planning
that could offer a way of integrating access, time-use patterns and service
delivery in a holistic manner at:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/recon/eiip/publ/reference/ratp.htm
There was also the need for 'toolkits' to be developed
for various MDGs. These are an attempt to show that operational activities
in
transport can be approached and addressed in a very direct way with major
benefits to women. These toolkits would allow practitioners, development
agency officers and communities easy access to the best practice transport
interventions to contribute to achieving the MDGs. Professor Grieco highlighted
one developed for Maternal Mortality at:
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mg294/maternalmortality.html
There was also the need for research ideas to be developed. It was suggested that web sites developed as resources on gender, transport and the MDGs should also carry possible research areas and gaps in knowledge.
For this week's discussion, the main research idea was for a study on the impact on maternal mortality of head loading. It was suggested that a time budget study/ task intensity study of women in africa could be carried out and directly related this across to miscarriages and maternal mortality.
