Gender Mainstreaming in Rural Road Construction/Usage in Ethiopia: Impact and Implications

Citation:

Abhishek, Abraham, Cecilia Borgia, Kebede Manjur, Frank van Steenbergen, and Letty Farjado Vera. 2020. “Gender Mainstreaming in Rural Road Construction/usage in Ethiopia: Impact and Implications.” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Transport 173 (2): 122–31.

Authors: Abraham Abhishek, Cecilia Borgia, Kebede Manjur, Frank van Steenbergen, Letty Farjado Vera

Abstract:

This study investigated the engagement of men, women spouses (WS) and women heads-of-household (WHH) in the planning and construction of rural roads in two Ethiopian districts of Tigray and Amhara, and the differential impacts of rural roads on the mobility and transport of men, WS and WHH. The fieldwork established that there is a strong demand among women for both road use and employment opportunities in road construction. Compared with men, women demonstrated specific priorities with respect to rural road development, such as access to ambulance services, flat, wide and levelled roads, and improved access to means of transport. Although women's concerns have been slowly but steadily pushed up the planning agenda, there are gaps between gender provision in rural road development and implementation. The benefits of roads for women can be enhanced by \ targeting gender mainstreaming provisions to take into account the specific travel and transport needs of WS and WHH.

Keywords: government, local government, infrastructure planning

Topics: Gender, Gender Mainstreaming, Households, Infrastructure, Transportation, Urban Planning, Livelihoods Regions: Africa, East Africa Countries: Ethiopia

Year: 2020