Rural Transport and Accessibility A Synthesis Paper Ron Dennis. Employment-intensive Investment Branch International Labour Office GenevaCopyright © International Labour Organization 1998 ies published Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright unde Protocol 2 of the Lintversal Copyright Comvention evertholoss. soe! exverpts from taem may be repradaced thou! suthurization, an condition that the suiee is indeed Bor gh of reprecuction or tarslation, application shoul be mae 10 the Pabheetions Burcou (Rights and Pernssion Imjematonal Lahous Office, CHeI711 Geneva 22. Switzer kind ‘The International Labour Office welcomes suc applications Librasies.insitations und other ise registered inthe United Kingdon withthe Copyright Lensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Rag London WIP OLE Fas: ~ 44 (0917 6M S800}, in the Cited States sith the Capyrisht Cleorance Center, 222 Rosewoou! Drove, Danvers, MA 1928 (Fax: ~ £ SIH 75114470} or in hes counties with associated Reproluction Rights ‘Oxganizations shay malke photocopies in aecorlance with he Fcencesissusd to thon forth poepose, no Pnplovnens ineasive Intasiructare Progrommes: Rural Transaor and sccessibitie ATP ae by (Genes, International Labour Office, 2000 ISBN 2-2-1 1001-8 Fist published 1998 Second impression 2001 1.0 Cataloguing in Publication Dass ‘The desiemations employed {LO publications, which ate hy canfoamity with hited Nations practice, sl the presentsion of ‘material dhereincko aot imply the expression of any opinion vharsever on thy parte International Labour Olfice cancers the legal status of any eotit'y. aca oF ferlory oF of 45 authorities, er eoneeming the delniation ofits frome Tne wesponsibilty fer opinions expressed in signed ariel, studies ad other cambria rests sey wih their athens, and publication does not eanstute an endorsement by the ntermxional Labour OFice of the opinions expressed in thers ‘Reference 10 names of firms and sommereial preaucts and processes aes not amply their endorsement by the International Labour Offiee, aa any failure in mean x panticalar ime, ewan praduc a process is not wsige of sappronal 1.0 poblistios eax be ubtained through maja fosksellers or 11,0 scl offices in many couilvies, ur dieces front UO Publications, Internation Fxbour OMes, CHIE] Generis 22, Seereriand Catal swotlable flee ef ehange fant the aboue ads es oF Hiss WF Rew publications are Printed by Loterntional Labour Office, Geneva, SwitvestindPreface Rural transport and aceessibility problems cause isolation, whieh is one ef the interlocking dimensions of poverty, Moving from this consideration. the ILO has been promoting for several years now initiatives aiming at improving rural aecess to facilities, services and employment ‘opportunities as an effective means towards poverty alleviation. Such initiatives have contributed 1o raise awareness about rural accessibility planning, and its possible contribution te development goals such as employment and income generation, the empowerment of rural communities. a reduced burden on women and the proteetion of the environment, he present paper brings Logether the resttts of four studies which were undertaken in the framework of an interregional project on cuzal transport and accessibility financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Ageney (Sida) and! managed by the Employment-Intensive Investment Branch (EM PANVEST)of the Il.O. The considerations emerging fram these studies lead toa more general discussion on the issue ofhow o provide effective solutions to the access needs ‘of rural populations, The paper reinforces support to the current trend towards a systems approach, to the issue and deserihes the important aspects of the development of such an approach This paper is the first of a series of Rural Accessibility Technical Papers (RA'TPS} to: be disseminated by EMP/INVEST for making information on rural accessibility and related research and practices easily available to interested organisations, institutions and individuals. We trust that these papers will contribute to enhaneing national and loval capabilities to plan for and implement accessibility improvement interventions whieh are of direct benefit to the rural poor Jean Majeres, mployment-Intensive Investment Braneh, Head,