Despite many challenges facing women in Jordan, the incapacitated public transportation system stifles their economic empowerment, as this sector has not been studied from a gender perspective.

This report examines structural and behavioral gender issues and practices facing women commuters on public transportation. The main objective of this part of the report is to identify best global practices, while also considering key factors such as punctuality, availability, routing, safety, affordability, and user-friendliness, in order to generate gender-specific solutions.

The report also studies how public transportation constrains access to work, education, health, social services, and other governorates in Jordan. Furthermore, the report describes women’s travel patterns not only in Amman, but also in other cities by documenting their practices and experiences. These experiences include accessibility, mobility, time spent on buses, cost in relation to income, familial and societal outlook of female commuters, comfort level using public transportation, dress code, preferred method of transportation, interactions at bus stops and depots, and interactions or relations with other public transportation users and bus/taxi drivers.

This study is the first of its kind in underscoring this pressing issue aimed at providing information to policy makers, civil society organizations, women’s groups, and stakeholders in Jordan. Furthermore, the study seeks to help advocacy groups and community-led campaigns by contributing to public discourse and amplifying women’s voices in transportation planning and practices.

The findings will serve to make women’s transportation a public issue worthy of attention, discussion, and action through the adoption of gender-sensitive transport strategies. The study could also be used among employers to foster a gender-sensitive work environment, which may increase the percentage of women entering and remaining the workforce. It may also allow for more women to eventually reach important decision-making positions.