Advancing gender equality in transport: UfM Webinar explores gender-sensitive solutions for safer public transport

16 December 2024, online – The UfM Webinar and Workshop on Violence against Women and Girls with a focus on Safety in Public Transports was held online on 16 December 2024, following the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women and Girls.

Transport safety and security are inherently gender-sensitive issues. Women’s transport behaviour across all modes is significantly shaped by safety concerns, which are more pronounced than those of men. Studies reveal that the majority of women worldwide feel unsafe on public transport, with many reporting incidents of verbal or physical harassment when using it or moving in public spaces.

In this context, the UfM webinar and workshop brought together experts from academia, media, civil society, and international organizations to discuss the issue from diverse perspectives and propose actionable recommendations. It convened prestigious speakers from leading international organizations such as the International Association of Public Transport, the International Transport Forum, the International Union of Railways, and POLIS, to raise awareness about challenges and proven solutions for safer public transport for women, foster collaboration, and to integrate global insights with local perspectives, in particular in the countries of the Mediterranean Region.

Solutions include targeted infrastructure and operational upgrades, public awareness campaigns, comprehensive employee training, improved reporting systems, a zero-tolerance approach to harassment, gender-disaggregated data for evidence-based policies, technological innovations and new business models.

During her Opening Remarks in the framework of the Webinar, UfM Acting Deputy Secretary General for Transport and Urban Development Amb Dhouha Najjar provided an overview of the UfM, and highlighted that the UfM is working on enhancing cross-sector collaboration, especially between the transport and gender equality portfolios. She recalled the urgent need for a cultural shift and immediate action to design transport systems that address women’s needs.

UfM Head of Sector for Transport Francesc Carbonell noted during his intervention that the Regional Transport Action Plan 2021-2027 adopted during the UfM Ministerial Conference on Transport in February 2023, aims to promote women’s empowerment in transport and ensure their access to transport professions and planning roles. He added that transport is key to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on gender equality, and that Target 5.2 which focuses on eliminating all forms of violence against women, including in transport settings.

During the Workshop, UfM Project Analyst for Social and Civil Affairs Giulia Ferraresi recalled that 55% of women in the EU have experienced sexual harassment on public transport, and 65% of women in the MENA region feel unsafe using it. She added that this insecurity not only infringes on women’s basic rights, but also prevents them from accessing essential services like education, healthcare, and employment.

The event served to emphasize the central role of the UfM in providing a platform for sharing best practices, fostering collaboration among stakeholders (cities, regional authorities, and national governance), in the public transport sector, and to help accelerate the implementation of effective solutions. It paved the way to new joint activities, such as a potential side-event on a gender-inclusive perspective in sustainable transport policies and decision-making in the UfM region, in the framework of the 2025 International Transport Forum Summit.