MobiliseHER: Co-Creation Workshop and Consultation in Kochi
- Thamires Pecis
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
How can a city make its transport system more inclusive, accessible, and safe for everyone? In Kochi, this question recently brought together local leaders, civil society, and mobility experts under the MobiliseHER project.
The two-day gathering, hosted by the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED) with UEMI in collaboration with Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), was not just a workshop and consultation. It was an open space for dialogue, exchange, and co-creation.
Listening to leaders and communities
The first day invited local elected councillors to take part in interactive discussions about MobiliseHER’s objectives. Rather than focusing only on policies, the conversations explored how capacity building and collaborative action can reshape everyday mobility in Kochi.
On the second day, the room expanded. Representatives from 17 Civil Society Organisations joined mobility officials to share lived experiences and challenges faced by their communities. Their contributions put forward tangible ideas: from a uniform transport card that works across all modes, to a bus number identification system with real-time tracking to make public transport easier to navigate.
Priorities from the ground up
Participants didn’t stop there. They called for more opportunities for women to join the transport workforce, recognising this as essential for creating systems that are safer and more responsive. They also highlighted the importance of differently abled friendly services, affordable and hygienic public toilets, and better first- and last-mile connections through smaller e-feeder buses and shared autos in underserved neighbourhoods.
Shaping the way forward
The MobiliseHER is a three-year project, co-funded by EuropeAid, and implemented by a partnership between Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI), WRI India, CEPT Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA India).
By bringing government officials, councillors, and community groups together, MobiliseHER is not only gathering ideas, it is setting the stage for action. The insights shared in Kochi will help MobiliseHER project and shape future policies to create a more accessible, inclusive, and responsive mobility system in Kochi.
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