Gender-Biased Transportation Planning in Sub-Saharan Africa with Special Reference to Cameroon

The paper discusses transport problems facing women in Cameroon. Among major factors contributing to these problems are: societal attitudes, urban-biased development schemes, gender-based discriminatory transport policies, inappropriate spatial organization, and negative trends in the country's economy. The author argues that the uniqueness of women-specific transport problems warrants special and calculated action on the part of planners and policy makers in a developing nation such as Cameroon. Remedial steps, such as altering societal attitudes, lessening and simplifying women's chores, promoting non-motorized modes of transport, reducing trip volume and length by, for instance, revamping antiquated zoning ordinances, and actively discouraging gender-based discrimination in public transportation through appropriate legislation, are suggested.