ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a comparative study of two LMIC cities—Lahore (Pakistan) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) from the perspective of the female traveller. It draws on research conducted during the 18-month, collaborative WEMOBILE project, which brought together designers, planners and ergonomists from the UK, USA, Pakistan, and Malaysia to raise awareness and (re)present problems women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face in their everyday travel. Using empathic design and auto-ethnographical research methods, the team demonstrated the role of social/cultural /religious systems in denying women agency over their mobility, the effects of a hostile infrastructure and social climate, the effects of gender-based duties and their dual roles as careers, and lack of representation on decision-making bodies and in employment.
