Gender equity and spatial variability of covid 19 impacts on mobility behavior: a comparison of two household-travel surveys

The impact of COVID-19 has been enormous, and the situation has been unprecedented. Consequently, most countries around the world impose mobility restrictions on their citizens. Society changes impact the demand for transportation, reducing the number of trips and altering modes of transportation, as well as affecting the price of living. Inequalities between various groups of the Soussian community have been further aggravated by the current health crisis. This is particularly relevant since there is already a gap between genders, and women are the most affected. In this paper, we attempt to identify the hierarchy of the travel patterns of females in the various delegations of the Grand Sousse, analyzing mobility behavior of women. Based on results from two household/travel surveys conducted before and during COVID (in 2019 and 2020), a descriptive analysis was conducted according to four categories: general mobility characteristics, travel rate, mobility characteristics (modal split and reasons for travel) and the trinomial; distance, time, and cost. The results of our analysis are consistent with similar analysis done by other researchers, with significant differences between genders, indicating that women are at greater risk of mobilizing in the “Grand Sousse”. A large percentage of individuals impacted by this epidemic is females. By applying a detailed spatial reading of mobility characteristics, it was possible to clarify these differences under a significant variation in the daily mobility characteristics of women in favor of the best-equipped delegations.