Transport systems in Southeast Asian cities have been hailed as particularly dangerous and unsafe for women. To address this issue, some machine learning applications powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been created and developed. These safety apps do not, however, tackle the underlying issue of perpetrators’ violence against women. There is a need for revised frameworks of thinking for AI-driven safety apps that are not based on normalizing violence, but rather empowering women.
Urban transit safety will be examined empirically on individual and institutional levels, so that they may be accurate bases for AI development. In this study, Filipino women are consulted on urban transport planning through participatory methods. Data gathered will be used to inform an empowering AI-driven Filipino women safety app concept for future development, which may eventually be cascaded to the larger Southeast Asia region.
