Spatial Accessibility for Women: A Systematic Literature Review

“Accessibility” refers to people’s ability to reach a location, influenced by factors such as geography, available destinations, and the quality of the transport system. While socio-demographic factors are important determinants of accessibility, often resulting in inequalities, limited research has examined accessibility specifically for women. This is particularly true for mothers, who can have unique travel patterns and needs because of responsibilities in caring for and transporting children, often requiring adjustments to their travel to accommodate others. This study aims to understand the extent to which there is a focus on accessibility for women, and to what extent women experience lower accessibility than men. A systematic literature review revealed that, of the 98 studies that examined accessibility by socio-demographic group, only 18 studies specifically considered gender. Very few studies have examined women’s accessibility to destinations with regard to their roles in the household and caring responsibilities. Most studies used catchment-based methods to analyze women’s accessibility. Of the studies that focused on women, we found that women tended to have lower levels of accessibility to destinations than men. Women are more likely than men to have a significant role in caring for households and children, resulting in complex travel patterns. Several studies have shown that public transportation systems in some cities still do not meet these travel needs. Several research gaps need to be addressed, such as understanding the differences in women’s accessibility based on their roles, modes of transportation used, and travel purposes.