Women’s Safety Charter for the Public Domain – Places and Transport
Project overview
The Charter brings together government agencies, the non-government sector, advocates and industry to take collective action to improve the safety of women in public places and on the transport network (the public domain) across the Greater Sydney metropolitan area and regional NSW.
Why do we need the Charter?
Research shows that most women do not feel safe in public places after dark. We also know that if people felt safer in public places, they would be more likely to walk more, catch public transport more, and go out more in the day and in the night.
Why does safety matter?
Safety is our number one priority at Transport for NSW, and this includes our commitment to helping women be and feel safer when travelling on our network.
Feeling and being safe, welcome and comfortable in the public domain is essential for social and economic participation and contributes to overall well-being and quality of life.
Key principles
The Charter is built on 3 core principles:
- a culture of gender equity: ensuring equitable access and representation in the planning, design and management of public spaces
- listen, share and reflect: using data, knowledge sharing and evidence-based solutions to improve safety
- partnership approach: collaborating across sectors to develop, evaluate and enhance initiatives through collective action.
Download the charter
Areas of impact
There are 6 areas of impact where we can make a difference:
Safe places
Create inclusive and safer public places that support participation and engagement for all.
Safe journeys
Deliver public and active transport journeys where women feel safe to access social, educational and economic opportunities.
Safe experiences
Deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and events that encourage communities to use public places at all times of day and night.
Partnerships
Build networks to foster collaboration, co-design and advocacy on women’s safety.
Community and education
Raise awareness on women’s safety and communicate the different ways everyone can contribute to make safer places for all.
Data and best practice
Collect data and share best practice on women’s experiences and perceptions of safety to create safer places.
How to get involved
We encourage you to explore how your organisation could make a difference to women’s safety in the public domain across NSW.
Case studies
Discover how organisations are implementing The Charter.