🧩 The Challenge
Eastern South Asia boasts a vast inland waterway that links India's northeast with Bangladesh and Bhutan. For many communities, these waterways provide vital access to jobs, school, and healthcare. Spanning 3,500 kilometers, a modern, efficient Eastern Waterways Grid has the potential to revitalize the economies of the eastern subcontinent to the benefit of the region's 600 million residents.
The World Bank’s Assam Inland Water Transport Project (P157929) is improving ferry infrastructure and services, making inland water transport safe, accessible, inclusive, and reliable. A key focus is to help women gain from these improvements through trade and ownership of water transport vessels.
A comprehensive study of the region's workforce disparities showed that women face significant barriers working in inland water transport (IWT). In parts of Assam, 71% of men said they used IWT for trade and transportation, compared to just 28% of women. Women commuters contend with poor access to terminals, few waiting areas, toilets and drinking water, infrequent ferry services, a risk of sexual harassment, and have no way to formally complain. These issues discouraged women from using IWT and kept them from participating in economic activities such as trade.
🛠️ The Intervention
The project designed terminals and ferries to make them more useful and comfortable for women. These included:
- Terminals:
- Well-lit spaces
- Nursing room
- Separate toilets for women and men which are also wheelchair-accessible
Closed-circuit television cameras - Public address systems at terminals to broadcast ferry schedules, safety announcements, and important updates.
- Ferries:
- Gangways and jetties with handrails
- Dedicated seats for women
- Separate toilets for women and men which are also wheelchair-accessible
- Life jackets and other life-saving equipment
- A system to enable transport users to lodge complaints and to have them addressed
The project is expanding ferry services from 10 to 15 hours per day on key routes, and changed some schedules based on feedback from women users. Future terminals and jetties will be designed with space to sort and store goods.
The Jibondinga Incentive Scheme provides boat owners with a 70% subsidy on marine engine costs for those seeking to retrofit their existing engines. This program includes dedicated money for women and women-led enterprises, including women’s self-help groups to encourage them to apply for vessel ownership and to become fleet operators. Under the project as part of setting up an “Inland Water Transport Regulatory Authority”, there was a push for promoting women in decision-making positions.
So far, the results are promising:
- Ferry service operation hours rose, and ridership doubled from 1 million in 2019 to 2 million in 2022, with an average of 27% women users.
- Out of 825 applications for the Jibondinga program, 35 came from women, helping them become boat owners while, at the same time, modernizing the fleet.
💡 Lesson Learned
Key lessons include:
- Planning and Gap Analysis: A comprehensive analysis identified the barriers facing women workers and traders. Their feedback regarding ferry schedules and design needs emphasize the benefits of community engagement.
- Collaboration: Input from state agencies and stakeholders improved design and planning.
- Infrastructure & Service Delivery: Women-friendly designs at terminals and on ferries highlight how infrastructure improvements can attract female customers.
- Women Entrepreneurs: The Jibondinga Scheme uses financial incentives and support for entrepreneurs to promote women’s economic empowerment.
- Decision-Making Roles: Including women in senior and decision-making positions inspires others to pursue leadership roles and encourages participation in governance.
📌 Conclusion:
The Assam Inland Water Transport Project demonstrates how addressing barriers to women’s participation, improving safety and accessibility, and positioning women as entrepreneurs and leaders, modernized ferry services and empowered women in a male-dominated industry.
Notes: This case study is based on this report: World Bank. 2024. Connecting Economies, Empowering Women: A Partnership of the
World Bank—Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, (2015–2024) South Asia Regional Trade Facilitation Program.
Ninan Oomen Biju, Rashi Grover, and Jaishree Jindel (World Bank Transport Team) provided inputs into this case study.