Public transport as a human right
A new study explores how a growing number of cities are linking urban development and public transport to human rights, addressing these connections in local policy documents.
Barcelona stands out as the most ambitious in Europe, though the ambitions are often rather vague, according to a study that analysed how the work is described. Cities that have taken a leading role in integrating human rights (HR) into their local policies and charters are called Human Rights Cities (HRC). The idea is that the work on HR must also be translated at the local level.
”There has been an increased awareness of the need to work on these issues locally. More and more cities are joining,” says Lina Olsson, a senior lecturer at Malmö University’s Department of Urban Studies.
Along with a research colleague, she has selected 12 of 42 cities that state they want to lead the way – three in Europe, four in North America, three in South America, and two in Asia.
The researchers reviewed transport and mobility policies and city master plans to assess the cities’ commitments. The study focused on written policies, not their implementation. It examined mentions of older people, women, and their mobility needs. Each city prioritises different human right, often based on UN frameworks.
“The general conclusion is that the integration of MR into policies is relatively weak when looking at transport and urban planning. But there are variations.”
Lina Olsson
Which groups are highlighted?
The researchers reviewed extensive material to note how different groups are addressed: older people, children, women, students, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ people. They examined aspects as access to public transport, ticket prices, car use, accessibility, travel time, safety and cycling.
“We focused on the right to freedom of movement, what public transport can do to strengthen the individual's right to education and work and health, for example. MR defines and sets out rights in terms of urban planning and environmental impact,” says Lina Olsson.
Barcelona is the most ambitious in Europe
Overall, the documents highlight recurring focus areas. “Barcelona is the most ambitious in Europe,” she says. The city prioritises socially vulnerable groups, children and people with disabilities, acknowledging, structural challenges in women’s mobility. In Naipur, India, the focus is on low-income populations. Lund, Sweden, emphasises children, while Santa Cruz, Bolivia, highlights social equality. Cities like Edmonton, Rosario, Naipur, Lund and Richmond emphasise safety.
“There is an increased focus on mobility justice, but it is not clear that this is being realised in practice. There is also a branding effect in developing policy documents on different issues. That's why it's important to know how to follow up on this,” concludes Lina Olsson.
English text by Wilma Haneke Brodd