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Usalama wa Umma Program

Promoting safety and security for all commuters, with a focus on addressing gender-based violence and harassment in public transport.

Program Objective

Overcoming Barriers to Mobility Rights for Women

Flone Initiative’s Public Safety Certificate Program (Usalama wa Uma) is the organization’s flagship program. Inaugurated in 2015, Usalama wa Uma was developed in response to the string of public stripping incidences at matatu stages in Kenya in 2014 and as a follow-up action to the national #MyDressMyChoice campaign. The #MyDressMyChoice movement fueled awareness on the prevalence of violence against women in the Transport Industry, supported survivors in 3 criminal cases, with 2 receiving public awareness resulting in 13 people prosecuted. It also led to lasting policy change in passing a law that made stripping of women illegal and punishable for up to 10 years.

The Usalama wa Uma program trains public transport providers (mostly matatu drivers and conductors) to prevent sexual harassment, gender sensitization, customer service and personal and professional development. As of 2019, Flone Initiative has conducted training for over 700 public transport workers in Nyeri, Githurai 44 & 45, Bungoma, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Kayole, Embakasi and Nakuru.

Program Successes

What this program has helped us achieve

Capacity building

10 trainings offered focusing on gender mainstreaming, responding to Sexual & Gender-Based Violence in Public Transport

Outreach

1000 public transport stakeholders reached

Engagement

More than 50 public transport Saccos engaged

Customer-centric

2 saccos develop customer service charters

Safe environment

2 saccos develop sexual harassment policies

Cyclist inclusion

A cyclist database developed

Program Justification

Overcoming Barriers to Mobility Rights for Women

Flone Initiative’s research on women’s travel patterns in Nairobi has shown that women use public transportation more often than men and take more trips per day than men (usually because they have additional duties and employment obligations associated with caring for dependents or managing household responsibilities). This trend is consistent with global research. However, despite their dependence on public transportation, a significant number of female commuters said that they either change their travel patterns or refuse to travel due to safety concerns. In addition, over half reported experiencing sexual harassment in public spaces daily.

As we found in a 2017 Baseline Study, incidents of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in public transport vehicles are quite common. The study respondents gave their views on the frequency, perpetrators and locations of VAWG cases, the summary of which is displayed below:

Respondents who’ve heard of or witnessed cases of VAWG in their respective routes

Managers

73%

Operators

44%

Commuters

88%

Respondents who identified public transport operators as the major perpetrators

Managers

82%

Operators

40%

Commuters

62%

Respondents who stated that VAWG mostly occurs at the bus station

Managers

64%

Operators

60%

Commuters

70%

Resource Related to Program

Gender-Sensitive Minibus Services and Transport Infrastructure for African Cities: A Practical Toolkit

In 2018, Flone Initiative and UN-Habitat developed the Gender-Sensitive Minibus Services and Transport Infrastructure for African Cities: Practical Toolkit prepared to provide minibus transport organizations, policymakers and civil society actors with practical and concrete tools to create safer public transport systems for African women and other vulnerable commuters. This toolkit seeks to maintain what works well about this industry while providing practical tools and supports to make it more accessible and safer for women.

Over the next three years, Flone will be supporting public transport organizations in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kampala and Dar es Salaam to implement the minimum guidelines and tools recommended in the Toolkit. To view the toolkit and the reports of the research that informed it, visit our Resources page.

View Resource

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Join us in reshaping the landscape of public transportation across Africa. Our mission is to not only enhance convenience but also prioritize safety for all, with a particular focus on the needs of women commuters, professionals, and individuals with disabilities. Together, let’s forge a path toward inclusive and accessible transit systems that empower every member of our communities.

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