Mobility and Women’s Employment Outcomes

The barriers to women’s economic opportunities and empowerment are many, with a critical impediment being the restriction on physical mobility. A significant consequence of this restriction is that they limit women’s access to better-quality and higher-paid jobs, ability to navigate and claim public spaces, and hinders their participation in essential activities like acquiring an education, engaging with a larger community, and accessing healthcare.

In an attempt to address some of these concerns, the Government of Karnataka recently launched the Shakti Scheme, which provides women with fare-free rides in non-premium state-run buses. The scheme was launched with the goal of improving women’s access to better education and employment options by easing mobility and transportation-related constraints.

The JustJobs Network (JJN) has partnered with the Fiscal Policy Institute, Government of Karnataka, to follow how the Shakti Scheme unfolds over the next three years. As a part of this partnership, JJN is conducting a baseline study to understand the initial impact of the scheme on women’s mobility and their access to employment opportunities and public spaces such as markets, followed by a midline and endline study. This brief presents the methodology and initial findings of the baseline study conducted in September and October 2023.