To mark International Women’s Day, the Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO) rolled out a weeklong campaign across Asia and the Pacific, spotlighting women leaders in road safety and examining transport through a gender lens.

APRSO shared insights based on the Gender in Transport Profiles developed by partner Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) and the Gender Equality in Transport Toolkit developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which provide a comprehensive look into gender across employment, wages, safety, and policy in Asia-Pacific countries:

First, women’s share of the road safety burden. While men account for most road traffic fatalities, women often face different and less visible risks as pedestrians, public transport users, and caregivers making more complex daily trips;

Second, employment and representation in the transport sector, especially in road transport, where women remain underrepresented, particularly in technical and leadership roles. Based on the insights, without greater representation, transport systems risk overlooking the needs of women and other vulnerable groups.

Third, mobility, security, and safety. Women’s travel is often shaped by concerns about personal safety: from poorly lit streets to harassment in public transport.

Together, these insights reinforce a key message – that safer roads require understanding how women move and ensuring their needs are reflected in policy and design.

Alongside these findings, APRSO featured women leading road safety efforts across the region. Representing members from the Kyrgyz Republic, Cook Islands, and Armenia, they shared their experiences working in the sector.

Gulnaz Orozalieva, who works within the police force in the Kyrgyz Republic, noted that women’s perspectives and empathy can strengthen road safety efforts, balanced with the resilience required to work in law enforcement.

Jaime Short from the Cook Islands identified the need to introduce transport career pathways to young women early, and to show that the sector goes beyond engineering and spans to urban planning, climate, and technology, among others.

Arevhat Poghosyan of Armenia spoke about the importance of increasing women’s participation in decision-making to help create more inclusive and effective road safety systems.

Through this campaign, APRSO brings together data and lived experience to highlight why gender must be part of the road safety conversation.