Social Sustainability Framework to Understand Gender and Social Inclusion in the Transport Sector

JEFF TURNER Consultant Gender and Social Inclusive Transport Workshop

24-25 May 2012 ADB HQ Manila
The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Definitions - I
No agreed definition of social sustainability UNESCO say that diversity within an equity or social justice framework is critical Polese and Stren argue social sustainability should promote: fiscal equalization, cohesive communities transport that gives access for all open and democratic local governing structure

Definitions - II
Work done for the Darling-Murray River Basin in Australia defines components of social sustainability as:
Equity of access to key services Equity between generations, Equity within generations, A system of cultural relations in which the positive aspects of disparate cultures are valued and protected The widespread participation of citizens not only in electoral procedures but also in other areas of political activity, particularly at a local level.

Common features
Various definitions feature:
Social inequity considerations and the vitality and viability of community/ communities inter-generational and intra-generational equity social exclusion social capital development active participation of the end-users, citizens in participation in planning & governance

What does it mean?

Current social inequities and the desire to minimise future social inequities have to be addressed in the representation of interests within a social sustainability framework: There are real discussions to be had about where the balance of attention should be placed. Access to services and to mobility requires deep and fundamental change in access to the planning of those services. A need for integration between different policies including ones around service delivery, urban development and social development.

Implications for the Transport Sector

The spatial distribution of facilities and services has equity implications in and of itself High-end efficient technical systems of transport may have limited ability to reduce inequities due to affordability constraints
both in terms of their present affordability and future willingness for taxation system to further subsidise fares

 Focus on access to services leads to Accessibility Planning Accessibility Planning developed in the rural context of Africa and Asia Now developed into a GIS-based approach often for use in UK, European and US urban contexts

Implications for the Transport Sector

Implications for the Transport Sector

Necessary characteristics of socially sustainable transport: affordable accessible available acceptable

Implications for the Transport Sector

A focus on institutions and policies also highlights the importance of:
ADB Corporate Policies National Policies to support Social Inclusion, Gender Equity and Social Sustainability Institutional Practice in terms of managing and planning sectors such as transport. For example:
the practices of institutions can exclude certain social groups Practices around data collection can mean certain groups if not measured are deemed not to exist Employment practices within institutions may also bias the perspective and voices within that institution MACRO

MESO

MICRO

Implications for the Transport Sector

Ensuring that national and local government transport budgets are not overly biased towards meeting the needs, demands and interests of mobile elites at the expense of women, low income groups or majority populations is an important element of formal evaluation which has traditionally and conventionally been ignored. Participatory Approaches such as Gender-responsive Budgeting and Gender & Transport Audits may help. 1 2 Situational analysis Assessment of Policy and programme for gender sensitivity Needs Policy/ programme

3
4 5

Adequacy of financial resources for 2

Monitoring expenditure

Inputs
Outputs

Impact assessment on Impact gender equity

5 Stages of Gender-responsive budgeting