Mumbai street study finds low female presence

Study finds low share of women on Mumbai streets

7 reported

A recent study using GPS-linked wearable cameras and randomized street audits across approximately 900 kilometers of roads in greater Mumbai found that women account for a small fraction of visible people on city streets. The research, conducted by Varun Karekurve-Ramachandra and Gaurav Sood, analyzed over 4,000 street images containing more than 23,000 visible person observations. In Mumbai, women made up 16.4% of visible people, and in Navi Mumbai, 14.7%, both far below their population shares. The study estimated pedestrian sex ratios of 239 and 223 women per 1,000 men, implying that 71% and 76% of women expected based on residential ratios are missing from the streets. The pattern held across road types, and private mobility did not explain the gap, as women’s share on two-wheelers was even lower at 8.4% and 5.7%. The authors stated these results provide the first large-scale measurement of gender disparities in urban public life that self-reported data cannot capture. A related paper noted that the median married woman in India leaves home for 30 minutes per day, and on a typical day, 45% of married women do not leave home at all.

What’s reported

The study used GPS-linked wearable cameras and randomized street audits across approximately 900 kilometers of roads in greater Mumbai.

Over 4,000 street images containing more than 23,000 visible person observations were analyzed.

Women accounted for 16.4% of visible people in Mumbai and 14.7% in Navi Mumbai.

Pedestrian sex ratios were estimated at 239 and 223 women per 1,000 men.

The study implied 71% and 76% of women expected based on residential ratios are missing from the streets.

Women’s share on two-wheelers was lower: 8.4% in Mumbai and 5.7% in Navi Mumbai.

A related paper stated the median married woman in India leaves home for 30 minutes per day, and 45% of married women do not leave home on a typical day.