Within the framework of the XVII International Conference “Women, Feminisms and Gender Studies”, held online on April 28–30, 2026, research conducted at the University of Zaragoza as part of the European project OptiPEx was presented.
The contribution took place in the thematic panel “Intersectionality and Gender Inequality”, a space focused on analysing inequalities from diverse perspectives. Topics addressed included territory, sport, Indigenous communities, and institutions, highlighting the structural nature of gender inequalities.
In this context, the paper “Gender and Safety in Public Transport: Experiences and Perceptions of University Students” was presented. The study is based on a qualitative analysis of focus groups conducted with students in Zaragoza. It examines how young women perceive and experience public transport, identifying factors that influence their sense of safety as well as potential technological solutions to improve it.
The results show that public transport can be perceived as a space of vulnerability, particularly in situations of crowding or at night, leading women to adopt constant strategies of adaptation and vigilance. These dynamics highlight that mobility experiences are not the same for men and women. In this regard, the study underscores the need to incorporate a feminist perspective into the design of public transport and urban planning, integrating these differences into the development of safer solutions.
This conference, and the work OptiPEx presented at it, reinforces the importance of integrating a gender perspective into the design of more inclusive mobility systems.
