Mi Teleférico and Women's Autonomy: a Gender Perspective

While studying the impacts of infrastructure, one important detail often gets left out: impacts very frequently differ based on gender. Often, the impacts of infrastructure are studied as they pertain to men, while women may be experiencing very different benefits and drawbacks. In an interview, Andrea Alcaraz, economist and expert on gender based research, explained how Mi Teleférico impacts women differently than men, in La Paz and El Alto. 

 

We began the interview with a discussion of how transportation specifically can increase women’s autonomy. Alcaraz explained that reliable transportation can create greater autonomy for women, because it allows them control over their own schedules. Rather than having to wait for a bus, or for a private vehicle, women in La Paz and El Alto can easily access almost the entire city, completely independently. With the Teleférico, women have greater freedom to decide independently how to spend their days. Whether it be working, caring for children, or learning, women in La Paz and El Alto have access to opportunities that previously would be inaccessible. 

 

Next, Alcaraz explained the impacts of the reliability of the cable car system, specifically for women. Many women choose the Teleférico, not because it is necessarily more affordable, but because it is incredibly reliable. On the Teleférico, there is no competition for seats, like there might be on other forms of transportation. Furthermore, the time of the ride is completely predictable, and it is safe and comfortable. Alcaraz talked about how women often travel while carrying children, balancing work and caregiving, and/or making multiple stops. Thus, the reliability, security, and efficiency of the Teleférico make it beneficial to women in a way that is not typically applicable to men. 

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Alcaraz then touched on access to employment, specifically for female workers employed in the informal sector. In La Paz, approximately 75% of women working informally on their own account are engaged in commerce-related activities, including retail trade. With the Teleférico, women can access a much broader customer base and a wide variety of markets that were previously inaccessible. Additionally, research on street commerce in La Paz has found that women manage approximately 80% of street-vending stalls, highlighting the importance of access to markets and customers for women working in the informal economy. 

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Still, despite the obvious benefits, Alcaraz noted that transportation does not remove every barrier to women. Even with better transportation, women are still limited by childcare responsibilities, household responsibilities, and cultural expectations. Alcaraz discussed a study in which she and a group of researchers examined demand for daycare and childcare centers near Teleférico, to help alleviate childcare responsibilities on working mothers. However, they discovered that many families preferred keeping their children with them or leaving them with relatives. In this case, infrastructure was not enough to alleviate family responsibilities that center around preference and cultural norms of childcare. 

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To actually measure the impacts of the Teleférico on women, Alcaraz proposed assessing how much time women spend commuting, how much time is spent caring for children, how access to paid work has increased, how leisure has changed, and how decision making power has changed. Attempting to measure the effects of the system is important because we cannot simply accept that infrastructure alone will have positive impacts, as illustrated by the daycare center case study. 

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Then, we discussed next steps towards further female autonomy and empowerment. Alcaraz noted that successful future improvements might include expanding Teleférico lines to underserved neighborhoods, improving system accessibility (ex. for older citizens), and continuing to study gender related impacts. 

 

Alcaraz's perspective reminds us that transportation infrastructure is ultimately about people rather than vehicles. Mi Teleférico does more than move passengers across the city—it changes how women organize their time, access employment, and balance work with family responsibilities. At the same time, she emphasized that transportation alone cannot eliminate gender inequality. Lasting progress also depends on childcare, household dynamics, and broader social policies that allow women to fully take advantage of the opportunities that improved mobility creates.