Advancing Gender-Inclusive Mobility in Kochi Through Participatory Action

The MobiliseHER project has adopted participatory processes to capture qualitative, neighborhood-specific data on the challenges faced in achieving gender-inclusive mobility in Kochi. As a follow up to the Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews, ideation roundtables were organised as collaborative platforms for open dialogue and collective problem-solving to generate innovative ideas to solve the pressing issues of the neighborhood. These sessions were led by the Urban electric Mobility Initiative and Centre for Heritage Environment and Development (c-hed) in collaboration with Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), engaging a diverse set of participants, including residents, local civil society organizations, and elected local councilors.

The discussions addressed a range of critical topics such as the safety of public spaces, accessibility of transportation modes, affordability of transit systems, and the broader socio-cultural barriers that hinder women and marginalized groups from fully participating in public life. Participants shared their lived experiences and insights and proposed actionable interventions tailored to their communities’ needs.

So far, the neighborhoods of Fort Kochi-Mattancherry, Vathuruthi and Vyttila have been actively engaged in these discussions. Each area brought forward unique perspectives shaped by its demographic, cultural, and infrastructural characteristics. The project plans to engage six more neighborhoods in the coming month, expanding its reach and impact across the city. MobiliseHER fosters collaboration to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable mobility framework for Kochi.